


drop in the ocean

by Mooifyourecows



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Because im lazy, Bipolar Disorder, Fluff, Humor, Light Angst, M/M, Sharks, Some Background AsaNoya, also an annoying octopus, aquarium and museum dates, daisugaweek2020, i guess it takes place in america?, lots of fish, rated mature for language and some suggestive content, some mature and sexual humor, spicy adult language, strangers to roommates to partners in crime to lovers, very brief iwaizumi oikawa and akaashi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:41:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 56,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26548408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mooifyourecows/pseuds/Mooifyourecows
Summary: If one good thing came from Daichi Sawamura getting laid off and suddenly needing to rent out the spare room in his new house to a random stranger, it's that the first to apply for the space is Koushi Sugawara, a charming and handsome aquarist who loves fish a perfectly weird amount.Smitten as a kitten, Daichi thinks that nothing can ruin his new life of cohabitation.Except maybe kidnapping.
Relationships: Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi
Comments: 200
Kudos: 633
Collections: DaiSugaWeek2020





	1. Too good to be true

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some pets allowed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DaiSuga Week prompts: Strangers AND Roommates<3
> 
> Mood:  
> [Brown of Gold](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUj1y-ngjBg)  
> "This shouldn’t have been so easy  
> But oh so suddenly  
> I see us there, on the New York state line  
> Bathing in the sunshine and loving the brand new day"

_Clack_.

Daichi lowered his staple gun and stared at the flyer now firmly attached to the community board.

So, it’s come to this.

It wasn’t the first time, but no matter how many times it happened, Daichi just couldn’t get over the sting of disappointment that hit him upon realizing that his dad was right.

Again.

In Daichi’s defense… the first few months had been _great_.

Coasting on the high of getting promoted at work and suddenly having excess income to spend on anything that he wanted, it had been _great_ living in a house that Daichi had bought, all for himself. It was quaint and quiet and clean and so much better than every dingy and infested apartment he’d had the displeasure of renting in the past. The new house had a _yard_ and _closet space_ and a driveway where only _he_ could park his car.

For the first few months, he had been happy, truly happy, living alone and cooking alone and sitting in his backyard counting the stars alone.

But as much as it pained him, his dad was right, and the honeymoon stage had been cut cruelly short by company layoffs (of which Daichi was a part) and suddenly, he wasn’t making enough to pay his monthly mortgage.

Well… disappointing as it was, Daichi was no stranger to struggle and he bounced back. It was okay, because he had space now. _He_ was the landlord now. He would make sure the house was fine and comfortable for him and his new… _roommate_.

How foolish he had been to think that it would be great.

But hey, he didn’t want to think about his first stint with a roommate. The next one would be better. This time, he would ask questions. This time he would write up a better contract.

This time he wouldn’t be so indulgent of another man’s _bullshit._

No more Mister Nice Landlord. His new roommate would pay rent _on time_ and he would clean and eat his _own_ food and Daichi would not play stupid games and accept shitty excuses.

No wonder all Daichi’s past landlords had been such rigid _dicks_. If they had experience dealing with pricks like the one Daichi had just kicked out of his spare room then… well.

But Daichi didn’t want to think about that right now.

New beginnings. That’s what he was hoping for.

No less than twenty minutes after he had put up the ad, he was back home, sitting on the couch in his living room and flipping through the channels in search for something to take his mind off of the half drafted contract waiting for him to finish it on the kitchen counter, when all of the sudden, his phone rang with a brand new beginning waiting on the other line.

_“I saw your ad for a room for rent? Yes, I’m interested please!”_

Daichi stared through the glass doors that looked out onto his fenced backyard. “Wo-wow, already? I just posted that less than an hour ago…”

_“Then it’s fate! Can I please come look at the place? I’m kinda desperate.”_

“Uhm…” Daichi glanced over his shoulder at the door to the spare room. “Yeah… okay that’s fine."

 _“Oh thank god_ , _”_ the voice breathed out a sigh of relief and the line went dead.

Daichi blinked. “Hello?”

When there was no reply, he removed the phone from his ear and stared down at the screen.

What…

_Knock, knock, knock._

Daichi jumped at the sound of rapping against the front door.

Wait. He couldn’t…

It was all happening so fast. Even though everything- sans the half-drafted contract- was in order and ready, it was happening too fast.

Daichi expected at least a day to pass before anyone answered his ad. He wasn’t mentally prepared to live with another human being again.

Oh well. This was good. He wouldn’t have to ask his dad for another loan for this month if he found someone quickly.

This was good.

Hopefully.

Still, Daichi was going to be picky. He was going to put on an intimidating face and drill this potential roommate for information.

_Do you have a job?_

_Can you afford to make rent?_

_Are you on the verge of being fired and leaving me to take care of you like a child for months because I’m too much of a bitch to kick you out on your ass?_

This time, Daichi wasn’t going to be _nice_.

He squared his shoulders and went to answer the door, ready to be intimidating and hard and unyielding and so very, very _landlordly._

Just a single second after the door was open, a man was stepping inside the house, two hands catching Daichi’s and shaking it up and down.

“Hi! Nice to meet you! Your home is so beautiful, ahhhh look at those windows!”

Daichi barely had the time to move to the side before the man was walking into the living room and gazing all around.

“Oh my god this living room is so nice and big… you’re great at decorating!”

Daichi gulped, attempting to not let the compliments soften his head, and closed the door. “Thank you.”

“That _yard_!” He moved to the glass doors and peered through at the back yard. “Wow, you’ve taken such good care of it.”

“Thank you…”

He turned and went into the kitchen next, smoothing a hand over the wooden countertops. “So clean… what a relief. My last roommate was such a _slob._ ”

“Hmm…” Daichi cleared his throat and followed him into the kitchen. “Mine too. Uhm, what’s your name?”

“Koushi Sugawara,” he said, opening the oven and peering inside.

“I’m Daichi Sawamura.”

“Daichi Sawamura.” Koushi turned to him and rested his palms on the kitchen island that separated them. “Listen. I want to move in. As soon as possible. What’s it gonna take?”

For a moment, Daichi couldn’t register what he had said. He was too blindsided by the man’s face and his eyes and… oh no.

Daichi was a strong man. He prided himself on being independent and strict and imposing and powerful. He was a leader to lead leaders.

And he was so, so _weak_ to attractive people.

It was a shortcoming of which Daichi was more than a little ashamed. In the presence of beautiful people he was a bumbling idiot barely capable of stringing a coherent sentence together. Around someone attractive, Daichi may as well be nervous putty, quivering in a _please notice me_ pile on the floor.

And Koushi Sugawara was the most attractive person Daichi had seen in all his twenty-six years on this green earth.

Daichi’s mouth flapped.

_Speak._

_Oh my god, speak._

_He asked you a question, damn it._

He forced himself to clear his throat and reached up to rub the back of his neck, focusing his eyes on a spot in the center of Koushi’s forehead that was relatively safe from the fierce and pretty gleam in his wide, round eyes that reminded him of caramel flavored coffee on chilly autumn mornings.

“Ah, well… I have some questions.”

“Ask away!”

Damn it.

He answered too quickly.

Daichi wasn’t mentally prepared. He could barely take a breath, let alone think of what words he needed to use to ask him the questions he had rehearsed over and over again prior to posting his ad for a roommate.

Shit, what were the questions anyway?

He needed… he needed him to have a job.

“Do you work?” Daichi asked.

“Yep! I’ve been working at the same place since I graduated high school eight years ago!”

“Ah… and… uhm… and you think you can afford the rent here? It’s six hundred a month—”

“Are you _kidding me?_ ” Koushi interrupted and Daichi made the mistake of meeting his eyes.

His heart leapt into his throat and he swallowed it down.

“Six hundred is _half_ of what I’m paying right now!” Koushi said, eyes twinkling, round cheeks flushed. “And that place isn’t near as nice as this one!”

“O-oh.” Daichi tore his stare away and locked it on the refrigerator.

_What else?_

_God, what else was I supposed to ask?_

When long seconds passed and Daichi couldn’t think of a single other thing to say, Koushi cleared his throat.

“I’m willing to do half the chores,” he said. “We can set up a schedule if you want. I’ll keep my space clean and I’ll buy my own food and I’ll do my own laundry and pay for half the utilities. I only have a Vespa, so I don’t need a lot of parking space. My grandma is an electrician and she’s willing to help out if we have electrical problems. I can put down a cleaning deposit of double rent. My only pets are fish and—”

“Okay.”

Koushi fell silent.

Daichi’s heart hammered in his chest and he scratched his cheek. “Uhm… okay. Yeah. Sure.”

“You… you’re letting me move in?”

Daichi gulped and met his eyes again.

Big mistake.

“Yep,” he said. “The room is yours.”

Koushi sucked in a deep breath and released it with a shriek of joy, slapping his palms down on the counter and pushing himself up in a happy hop, messy silver hair fluttering at the motion.

_“Really? Really really?”_

“Ye-yes. Really. Welcome… uhm… home.”

Koushi shrieked again and rounded the counter. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

He threw himself against his chest and Daichi could feel his soul trying to flee his body through his mouth at the feeling of his warm touch.

“You won’t regret this, Daichi! I promise!” Koushi sang happily, holding him tight around the neck. “I’ll be the best roommate ever! Do you like cinnamon rolls? I’ll make you a whole platter!”

Oh no, Daichi was ascending.

Curse his weak heart and soft head.

Was that really all it took? Just a few looks from a cute guy and a minute listening to the sweetest honey voice he had ever heard and Daichi was throwing his brain into the trash and melting into a puddle of gushy goo motivated purely by the desire to see said cute guy happy?

Daichi’s dad really _was_ right.

He was _not_ mature enough to be in these pathetic situations he put himself into on a daily basis.

Koushi pulled back and gazed brightly into his face. “When can I move in?”

“Now?”

Damn it, Daichi was completely lost.

“Now?” Koushi repeated.

“Yeah, now. Move in now,” Daichi said, brain fully rotted through with the need to get another hug. “Uhm, if you want.”

Koushi hugged him again- _yes_ , _success_ \- and squealed.

“Thank you! Oh my god you have no idea what this means to me!”

_I’m in heaven._

Daichi had fully ascended. Koushi was warm and soft and he smelled good and oh no, Daichi was a total idiot, wasn’t he?

“Can I see my room?” Koushi pulled back once more and gave him a hopeful look.

“Ye-yeah. It’s right over here.” Daichi led him across the house to the door to Koushi’s room and he went inside and immediately started fawning over the space, hopping up and down in the closet with shrieking joy and bubbling laughter.

And Daichi could just sink into the sound and dissolve into dust, if he let him.

God, he was so dumb and weak.

But well… what was the worst thing that could happen?

* * *

“Asahi, you should see it,” Koushi said into his phone as he ripped open a box and began removing books from inside. “It’s _amazing._ There’s a big back yard with a patio and a firepit. I have my own _walk-in closet._ And the tub in the bathroom has _jets!_ Can you believe it?”

 _“Ehh… sounds too good to be true. It’s only six hundred?”_ Asahi’s voice said through the line.

“Yeah well,” Koushi stuffed the books into his bookshelf. “It’s not a huge house, overall. Just two bedrooms and one bath, so I’ll have to share with Daichi. But I don’t mind. Ask me why I don’t mind. Do it, Asahi.”

He sighed and Koushi’s mouth stretched into a wide grin.

_“Why don’t you mind, Koushi?”_

“ _Because_ , Asahi. My new landlord? And housemate?” Koushi flopped onto his back on the rug, legs popping into the air. “He’s _hot_. Like _so hot_.” He released a loud groan and rolled onto his side, cushioning his head on his folded arm. “Not just hot though. _Cute_ too. He’s super bashful. He gets flustered every time I talk to him.”

_“Hmm…”_

“Hush. Don’t judge me.”

_“I’m not judging you. I think it’s totally healthy and not weird at all that you followed a guy home and asked to rent his spare room just because you thought he was hot. What’s weird about that?”_

“Listen,” Koushi frowned. “I needed a new place to live anyway! This is _fate_ , okay? What are the odds that the hot guy I was peeping on after work mere days after my eviction just so happened to be looking for a roommate?”

Again, Asahi sighed, and Koushi pouted his lips.

_“I feel sorry for this Daichi guy. He has no idea what he’s getting himself into. I’m assuming you lied about why you needed a new place?”_

“Hush! You _know_ it was unfair!”

_“You broke your contract. That’s not unfair.”_

“I can’t believe my best friend doesn’t have my back in these trying times.”

_“I have your back. I’m just telling you the truth while I’m at it. I agreed that the contract was dumb, didn’t I?”_

“Hmm…”

 _“Seriously, what sort of landlord doesn’t let you have_ fish _?”_

“Well,” Koushi mumbled. “I admit the new tank _was_ a little big for such a small space.”

_“… you didn’t.”_

“Didn’t what?”

_“Upgrade.”_

“I… didn’t upgrade.”

_“Are you lying to me?”_

“I’m not lying.”

_“That’s worse. That means you fucking bought another tank. Koushi, are you insane?”_

“You don’t understand!”

_“What don’t I understand?”_

Koushi sat up and stared down at his bare feet. “What was I supposed to do? Let an albino gar slip through my fingers? _That_ would be insane.”

_“I don’t know, nor do I care what you’re talking about. Does this Daichi guy know how many fucking fish you have?”_

“It doesn’t matter!” Koushi smoothed his hair over his ear. “My room is big enough that I can keep them all in here and he won’t have to see them. It’ll be a little crowded but… I can manage. I’ll just get rid of some of my furniture. How much do I need anyway? Just a bed, honestly.”

Another sigh, the third of the phone call so far.

_“I swear you never learn.”_

“You sure talk big when out of smackin’ range,” Koushi muttered.

_“Hmhm. Koushi… just promise me one thing.”_

He swallowed and anxiously tugged on the hem of his exercise shorts. “What is it?”

_“… promise me you’re not going to do something crazy.”_

Koushi scoffed. “What do you take me for?”

_“My best friend since elementary school, who systematically does crazy things when I’m not around to question his every impulse.”_

Koushi pinched his pale thigh. “So that’s what you think of me…”

_“Don’t do that. Just promise me. Please.”_

He released a groan and dropped his head back. “Lucky guys out traveling the world with their tiny boyfriends don’t get to tell me how wild I get to go.”

_“Koushi—”_

“It’s fine! Don’t worry about me. I’ve got Ryuu. He’ll keep me out of trouble.”

_“Since when has he ever—”_

“Asahi I gotta go. Got a lot of stuff to unpack,” he interrupted, stomach twisting. “Enjoy Italy and tell Noya I said hi, alright?”

After a moment’s hesitation, Asahi sighed one last time. _“Yeah. Okay. Talk to you later. Love you.”_

“Love you too.” Koushi ended the call and set his phone on the rug next to his hip.

He got lectured.

What a downer.

A soft knock from the direction of the door drew his eyes over his shoulder.

“Uhm, Koushi?” Daichi’s voice came.

Koushi’s heart kicked into a gallop and he hopped to his feet and rushed to open the door.

Daichi stood just outside, and jumped slightly at his sudden appearance, eyes growing wide and immediately centering on his forehead.

“Yes?” Koushi asked, cocking his hip to the side and gripping either side of the doorframe, giving him his most inviting smile.

“Ah…” Daichi’s cheeks reddened.

Koushi had _two_ ulterior motives for his more than a little overdone pleasant attitude towards his new roommate and landlord.

For one thing, having a landlord that liked him was easier to manage than one that didn’t. His last landlord was the proof in the pudding.

For another thing… Daichi was really hot.

And Koushi had eyes, didn’t he? He found Daichi outrageously attractive and even better than having a landlord that liked you was a landlord who was both hot _and_ ready to simp for you.

If Daichi’s bashfulness and quickness to allow him to move in was any indication, he most likely played for the same team as Koushi, which meant that there was a very real and very tantalizing possibility that Koushi could reel him in.

Biggest catch in all his years of fishing.

“There’s someone here to see you?” Daichi finally managed to say, pointing over his shoulder in the direction of the front of the house.

Koushi blinked.

“Who…”

“Kou! C’mon! Where do you want this shit?”

His face drained of blood. Across the house, Ryuu waltzed in, carrying a long, acrylic tank over his head like a comically oversized helmet.

“Mother fucker,” Koushi muttered and pushed past Daichi to rush in Ryuu’s direction.

He ducked under the tank and stood with him inside it, gripping the sides with tight fingers.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Koushi hissed. “You were supposed to wait!”

“Until when?” Ryuu scowled.

“Until he wasn’t here! So I could set everything up in my room!”

“Bro, do you really think you can hide them? Munchie’s tank alone is like—”

“I wasn’t going to hide them, I was going to make him realize that they’re not that big of a deal first and… ugh great! Now I gotta come up with something.”

He wanted to deliver a punch to Ryuu’s stomach, but considering he was holding one of his- incredibly expensive- tanks in his hands… Koushi settled with a dirty look and simply ducked out from under the glass.

Several pieces had already been brought into the house and Koushi spotted the box of his filters resting on the coffee table, the cabinet base of his smaller saltwater tank leaning against the arm of the couch. Daichi was peering into another box full of lights and heaters.

“Sorry Daichi!” Koushi said, slapping his hands together. Daichi looked at him with eyebrows lifted. “I was going to move this all in when you weren’t around so that you wouldn’t get scared. It looks crazy now but once everything is put together, it’s really neat and clean, I promise! And I’ll keep it all in my room so you don’t have to deal with it.”

Daichi hummed. “When you said you had fish… I thought you meant like… a goldfish or two.”

“I swear you won’t even have to see them.”

His eyes drifted over Koushi’s shoulder and he cocked an eyebrow.

Koushi followed his stare in time to watch Ryuu wheel in the three hundred gallon fish tank on a long, wheeled trolley.

And he could just _smack_ him. Couldn’t he read the damn room?

Koushi turned back to Daichi. “It looks intimidating now but once it’s all put together and organized in my room, it’ll fit and be okay.”

Daichi rubbed the back of his neck and pursed his lips. “Won’t it be uncomfortable to have it all cluttering your room?”

“I don’t mind!” Koushi said. “They’re important to me so I can’t just get rid of some for—”

“No, no, don’t get rid of them,” Daichi interrupted. “But… you could set them up out here, couldn’t you?” He glanced around the living room. “There’s more space.”

Koushi gaped at him for long seconds, until Daichi noticed and asked,

“What?”

“You wouldn’t mind if I put them out here?”

Daichi shrugged. “Sure, why not? I like fish. And since you’re going to be living here… you might as well have a hand in some of the decoration in the parts of the house we’re sharing.”

Koushi stared at him with wide eyes.

Seriously?

He… didn’t mind?

What the hell was this guy? An angel sent straight from heaven?

“Aw, look at that, a happy ending. How heartwarming,” Ryuu’s dry voice called and Koushi sent him a withering glare over his shoulder.

Ryuu leaned on the tank.

“By the way, you owe me two hundred for the fish Munchie ate while at the shop.”

Koushi gasped. “ _What?_ I gave you specific directions on how to keep him contained! It’s your own fault if he got out!”

“Hey, I’ve been tripping over all your junk cluttering up my backroom for the past week. Two hundred is nowhere _near_ what I’d be charging if we _weren’t_ friends.”

With a click of his tongue, Koushi lifted his chin and looked away. “Fine. Two hundred. But you’re giving me the saltwater for free then.”

“Then what’s the fuckin point?”

“That’s what I wanna know.”

Koushi turned to the fifty gallon tank resting on the floor next to the coffee table and grabbed it.

“I’ll set Munch up first, so when you’re done unloading that shit, go get him for me.”

“Sure, I don’t need help lifting your heavy ass equipment, that’s fine.”

“I’m glad. I _was_ going to offer to help but since you’ve got it under control…”

“You’re so not cute.”

Koushi lifted the tank and turned for his room. Daichi was still standing nearby, quietly watching him.

“Can I help somehow?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Ryuu’s voice called. “You can help—”

“Me put Munchie’s aquarium together,” Koushi interrupted.

Ryuu groaned but Koushi didn’t look at him, instead giving Daichi a smile.

“I’m not very strong so I need someone to help lift things…”

Ryuu snorted but thankfully kept his mouth shut about the lie.

Daichi’s cheeks colored and he cleared his throat. “Oh. Yes. I can… I can do that.”

“Great.” Koushi gestured at the square cabinet a short distance away. “Could you bring that into my room with me?”

“Yes, of course.”

Daichi rushed to obey and Koushi took the opportunity to check out his ass as he stooped.

When he straightened, lifting the cabinet from the floor, Koushi led him into his bedroom and directed where he wanted it, admiring the bulge of his arms as he did as he was told, settling the cabinet against the wall at the foot of Koushi’s full bed.

“Thank you, Daichi,” he said when he was cast a look asking for approval. “You’re so strong…”

Daichi blushed again.

_Ahh, cute._

He was so obvious.

Koushi set the acrylic tank to the side and knelt at the cabinet, pulling the doors open to reveal the filtration system inside.

“So…” Daichi said and cleared his throat. “You don’t want this one out in the living room?”

“It’s best to keep Munchie separated from the others,” Koushi said and leaned inside the cabinet to check the pipes. “He turns into a competitive prick when he can see that he’s not the only one I love.”

“And… what _is_ he, exactly?”

“An asshole.”

“No I mean—”

“I know what you meant, Daichi.” Koushi sent him a smile over his shoulder. Daichi scratched his cheek, eyes darting away, and Koushi turned back to what he was doing. “He’s a common octopus. My little Houdini. He was a part of an illegal breeding ring Ryuu broke up. Most of the others that were rescued were reintroduced to the ocean or given to shelters but Munch was such a dick that nobody wanted him and he was incompatible with release, so I took him.”

“Wow… I didn’t realize you could keep octopuses as pets.”

“Well, it’s not recommended,” Koushi admitted, sitting back when he was satisfied that the filtration system was all in order. “They’re kinda high maintenance. And tricky bastards. Munchie’s been with me for the past two years and he’s still finding new ways to break out of his aquarium.”

“Break out?”

“Yeah, he’s smart.” Koushi stood and lifted the acrylic tank up and onto the cabinet, making sure it sat securely in place. “Octopuses are pros at escaping. They can open jars and fit in the tiniest gaps. I’ve lost track how many times I’ve found the bitch in my coffee mug or toilet bowl or munchin’ on the crabs in the big tank… ugh I hate him.”

“He can just _walk around_?” Daichi asked, voice incredulous, and sat on the edge of Koushi’s bed.

“Yeah those fuckers can be out of the water for around half an hour, can you believe that?” Koushi rolled his eyes. “The audacity.”

A thud in the doorway drew their attention to Ryuu as he set two five gallon buckets down.

“Okay,” he said, wiping sweat from his brow. “I’m almost done with this load. Then I’ll go back to the shop, get you some more water, and bring Munchie.”

“Thanks Ryuu, you’re so helpful when you don’t complain,” Koushi said, giving him a radiant smile.

“Watch it.”

He left again and Koushi fetched the buckets, bringing them closer to the tank.

“So…” Daichi said. “How did you get into this sorta stuff?”

Koushi opened one of the buckets and peered inside at the wet sand. “I’ve always been interested in it. When I was a teenager, my mom took me diving and I just fell in love with that world.” He lifted the bucket and started dumping the sand into the tank. “When I graduated high school, I got a job at the aquarium and have been there since.”

“Wait. You work at the aquarium? The one at the pier?”

Koushi finished with the sand and reached inside to move it around so that it coated the bottom evenly. “Uh huh.”

“No way. I work at the museum right across the street!”

Koushi glanced at him. “No kidding?”

“Yeah!” Daichi looked excited about the new realization, sitting up straight on the bed, face alight. “I’ve only worked there for a few months though. I got laid off at my last job.”

“What do you do there? Dust off the dinosaur bones?” Koushi set the bucket aside and went to the other one.

Daichi chuckled. “Nah… I’m just security. I have zero experience with that kinda stuff. So I definitely wouldn’t trust myself to do any dusting that could possibly lead to an entire fossil disintegrating under my fingertips.”

“You’re either overestimating your own strength or underestimating the hardiness of fossils that have been around for hundreds of millions of years.”

“Listen, you don’t know how unlucky I am. Months after buying my own house on the income I was getting from my promotion at my last job, I _lose_ that job and have to get a roommate. Then, I get a roommate who _also_ loses his job and then takes advantage of me for several more months before I finally kick him out…” He sighed. “My luck isn’t _great_.”

Koushi popped the lid off of the second bucket and spun it in his hands, sending Daichi a bright smile. “Looks like your luck is improving, Daichi.” He winked. “Because now you’ve got _me_.”

Daichi face went red and he turned bashful again, averting his eyes and rubbing the side of his neck with a nervous laugh.

“Ye-yeah… well.” He cleared his throat. “You seem great on the surface but just watch, with my luck…” His eyes met Koushi’s and then darted away. “You’ll wind up bringing me a whole truckload of trouble.”

Koushi laughed and lifted a piece of wood from the bucket.

“Here’s hoping!”

* * *

Daichi trudged through the house, scratching his bare chest with a yawn. It had taken forever to fall asleep the night before, with all the sounds from the living room of Koushi and his friend, Ryuu, setting up his remaining aquariums. Daichi had left them to it as soon as Ryuu had returned and they got into a shouting match over things that Daichi’s limited knowledge knew nothing about. Things like fish and water and salinity and protein skimmers… whatever the hell _those_ things were.

He had peeked out on occasion to help pick spots for the aquariums but soon afterwards, Koushi and Ryuu were once again at each other’s throats and Daichi was intimidated back into the safety of his room while they worked.

At some point, he must have fallen asleep, because it was suddenly morning, the first full day he’d experience living with Koushi Sugawara, and he had fallen straight out of bed in his desperation to get it started.

It was a major dilemma.

Daichi wasn’t supposed to look forward to living with a roommate. He was supposed to view it as penance for being too audacious, buying a house before he was truly stable in his income. This was supposed to be an opportunity to learn and reflect as a man that got ahead of himself.

He was not supposed to be excited about getting intimately close to a man he’d known for less than a day.

Oh, just one of the many, many drawbacks of being both gay and stupid.

Less than a day and already Daichi was drafting up the guest list to his and Koushi’s wedding.

He’d sit his dad close by for _“You were wrong after all”_ purposes.

_Take that, Dad._

There’s no way he could tell Daichi he was stupid for buying this house now that it introduced him to his future husband, right?

_Right._

He made his way into the kitchen and stopped at the coffee maker. His hands went through the motion of filling the tank with water and setting a new filter inside with a couple scoops of coffee grounds, the smell of which was already poking around at the inside of Daichi’s head, urging him to wake up.

Once the coffee maker was on and heating up, Daichi moved to the cupboard with the cups and opened the door. Without needing to look, he reached for his favorite mug, front and center where he left it every night.

The tips of his fingers brushed something that… squished.

And moved.

Daichi’s eyes popped open in time to watch a writhing, clay colored tentacle dislodge from his favorite mug and disappear into the back of the cupboard.

Daichi stumbled back across the room until his hips collided with the island and his bellow echoed through the house.

_“Koushi!”_

He was about to call for him again when he heard sudden clattering from the direction of his room, followed by a _bang_ as the door burst open and hit the wall. Koushi came barreling out of his room, skidding on the hardwood floors, and stopped in the entrance of the kitchen, breathing hard.

His face was flushed, grey hair a mess. He wore a pair of striped boxers and pale blue tank top with deep arm holes that revealed his toned sides.

His long eyelashes batted rapidly and he searched the room before meeting Daichi’s horrified gaze.

“Where is the mother fucker?” he asked, voice rough with sleep.

Daichi pointed a shaking finger at the cupboard and Koushi rushed over to it. He peered inside and released an angry cry.

“Way to make a great first impression, _Fuckface_.”

He reached into the cupboard and pushed mugs out of the way. Daichi watched over his shoulder as two tentacles appeared from the darkness and latched onto Koushi’s wrist. Then, a squirming body heaved out of the cupboard, completely enveloping Koushi’s forearm and hand. The tentacles reached higher up until the body of the octopus crawled all the way up to Koushi’s shoulder, suction cups popping as they detached from his skin. One tentacle reached up and curled around the shell of Koushi’s ear and he turned to face him.

“Sorry Daichi! I thought I did a good job sealing his tank but I must have missed a spot.”

Daichi stared silently at the octopus as it sat on Koushi’s shoulder, arms constantly moving as they wiggled across his collarbone and throat.

If he wasn’t still recovering from the scare, maybe he’d be able to think of some sort of joke about tentacles and hentai and totally embarrass himself in a misguided attempt at being funny.

Instead he gulped hard and stammered, “It’s… okay. Just… surprised me… is all…”

“I’ll put him away,” Koushi said and moved across the kitchen. “And I’ll rewash all your dishes for you! Just wait a moment!”

He rushed off to his bedroom again and Daichi pressed a hand over his heart.

Ouch.

Felt like it had tried to burst right out of his chest over the fright.

So there was an octopus in his cupboard.

Big deal.

Definitely wasn’t a deal breaker.

It was… quirky.

Daichi liked quirky.

Felt like there’d never be a boring day if Koushi was his husband.

And as far as Daichi was concerned, that was a good thing.

The sound of Koushi’s voice drifted through the house, too distant for Daichi to catch what was being said as he seemingly lectured Munchie on his actions. And it was so quirky and kinda cute, despite the near heart attack it had given Daichi. It was alright though. Munchie was just another housemate that Daichi would have to get used to. He and… actually, now that he thought about it…

Daichi turned in a slow circle and gazed across the house to the new aquariums decorating the living room.

All thoughts of his near-death experience evaporated from his mind and Daichi wandered on unsteady feet into the living room.

_Holy…_

Daichi had seen all the separate parts last night. He had seen the empty tanks and the buckets and the boxes and the cabinets. It had intimidated him, at first, that all of that… _junk_ would be taking up residence in his living room.

He had doubts that it would be something he wouldn’t eventually regret.

“ _Fuck_ …”

Those doubts shriveled into nothing.

Because seeing the aquariums now, Daichi was overcome with yet another wave of appreciation- and fear that his good luck was hitting him all at once- for this sudden change in his life.

All four of the aquariums were… well… nothing short of _entrancing._

He went to the closest- and smallest- of the four aquariums and paused in front of it. It was tall and square, sitting on a black cabinet. An LED light attached to the back hung over the top and lit the tank up, glinting off of the shining, colorful scales of the fish swimming languidly through the crystal clear water. He noticed small, orange clown fish hiding in the reef, accompanied by various other creatures, the names of which Daichi didn’t know. There were large, flat ones of blue and yellow. Smaller, longer fish with white bodies and little yellow stripes along their spine were stirring up the sand at the base of the tank. Something grey and orange darted behind a bit of coral before Daichi could admire it, and a shrimp striped like a candy cane swam up along the glass directly in front of his face, long arms reaching out.

Daichi moved to the next aquarium, one of the larger ones sitting right behind the couch. It was long and rectangular, nearly the entire length of the couch, and the cabinet beneath it was white.

Even with Daichi’s limited knowledge of aquatic creatures, he could tell that this one was different from the last. The fish swimming slowly through the grass were clearly freshwater fish. He spotted one that looked like a catfish, its whiskers long and flowy. Tall, flat fish of stunning patterns and various colors- red, orange, white, blue, and green- spooked at his arrival and all bumped into each other in their desperation to get away. Motion near the bottom of the aquarium drew his eyes to- holy shit- three stingrays. Their round, flat bodies were brown with orange and black spots and they dug into the sand and swam over the top of one another.

“God he’s so annoying,” Koushi’s voice floated through the room, but Daichi couldn’t tear his eyes away from the rays. After a moment’s hesitation, Koushi asked, “Ugh, is Moose bothering the motoros again? I swear if I have to put him in his own tank I’m going to _scream_.”

Warmth pushed on his left side and Daichi glanced over at Koushi as he leaned forward and searched the tank.

“You have stingrays?” Daichi said.

“Hmm… yeah. Motoro stingrays. They’re tropical freshwater rays. That one is Beans, then that one underneath her is Scoopy. And the antisocial loser right there is Sanderella. Ya know. Because she spends most of her time in the sand.”

The names were so endearing, Daichi had to struggle not to coo over them.

“And who is Moose?” he asked instead.

“That’s the catfish,” he said and pointed at said fish, who now, like the colorful ones, all congregated at the glass in front of Koushi. They seemed excited as they swam about, keeping their beady eyes trained on him. “He’s a little bit of a bully,” Koushi went on. “He can’t stay in this tank for much longer, actually. He’s getting too big. Oh! He came out!”

Koushi suddenly grabbed Daichi’s arm and pointed to the far right side of the tank where a pure white fish emerged from a log. His nose was long and narrow and he paddled nervously through the water.

“Who’s that?” Daichi asked, allowing Koushi to nudge him closer to the white fish.

“That’s the newest addition to the family,” Koushi said. “Icky. He’s an albino gar. Isn’t he so pretty?”

“Icky,” Daichi repeated. “He’s beautiful.”

Koushi hummed happily, and Daichi tried not to focus on how his hand was still on his arm. And he was still only wearing underwear and the tank top.

Oh boy.

“Honestly, I normally wouldn’t ever keep him in this tank. The temperature is adjusted for the Discus.” Koushi gestured at the flat, colorful fish still all vying for his attention. “They’re tropical, like the rays, and they like the water warmer. That’s _fine_ for Icky, and I’m sure he enjoys it. But it’s going to encourage him to grow way too big.” He sighed. “He could wind up growing over six feet long. And without a pretty big pond to put him in…”

Koushi straightened and Icky darted off back into the log.

“I’ll need to move him. And Moose, probably. He’s getting too big and soon the nibbles he takes out of the motoros are gonna actually hurt.”

Daichi followed as he turned and crossed the room to where the other giant aquarium was set up, just to the right of the glass doors to the backyard. It was a lot like the first, filled with reef and coral. Colorful fish of all different sizes darted through the water and hid in the reef at their approach.

“Daichi, Daichi, look!” Koushi took his hand and pulled him close to his side, making his heart leap. He pointed down near the bottom of the reef, from which a small face poked. “Mr. Slinks is coming out!”

_Mr. Slinks…_

_Cute._

They watched in silence as an eel slowly floated up out of its hiding spot in a hole of the rock. Its skin was dark with bright white stripes like a zebra.

“You’re so lucky,” Koushi whispered. “He’s usually so shy. It took me weeks last time to coax him out from his cave.”

“Incredible,” Daichi murmured.

Koushi hummed happily.

Several moments of silence passed as they admired the fish together. Just like at the last tank, the ones in this one all gathered in front of Koushi, pushing each other out of the way to get into his eyeline.

“They seem attached to you,” Daichi admitted with a chuckle.

Koushi smiled, entire face softening with the motion. “They just know I’m the one that feeds them.” He perked and looked at Daichi, eyes bright. “Do you want to help me feed them?”

“Yes.” Daichi said it immediately, not even needing to consider the offer.

“Great! Come here, I’ll show you how I do it!”

Koushi dragged him off to the kitchen and Daichi momentarily remembered his coffee when the smell of the fresh pot hit his nostrils.

Coffee would have to wait. He didn’t want to ruin the momentum of Koushi’s excitement and his warm, soft hand around Daichi’s tugging him up to the refrigerator.

“Now, I didn’t know how the whole food and refrigerator business was supposed to be handled, like if we’re just sharing or separating our stuff or whatever…” Koushi said and opened the freezer. He gestured down near the bottom shelves. “So I just made a little space for some things for now. This here…” He released Daichi’s hand and bent to grab a bag of frozen tilapia. “This is what I feed Moose and the others in the freshwater tank. I’ll feed them other stuff on occasion too. Pellets and such, but they really love tilapia and this shit is cheap so.” He returned the bag and opened the fridge. “I already have some defrosted though.” He removed two separately packaged slices of tilapia and set them aside on the counter.

Koushi pushed hair from his face and bent over to grab another bag from the freezer and show it to Daichi.

“This is what most of the saltwater fish eat. Brine shrimp. I use a little dropper and just suck ‘em up and drop them into the water.” He replaced the bag in the freezer and collected a few pods from the fridge, setting them with the tilapia filets. “Then there’s these little fish I give to Mr. Slinks and some of the bigger guys.”

Daichi zoned out, watching the way Koushi’s lips moved and curved around the words. Every once in a while, a stubborn lock of grey hair would fall into his eyes and his long, slender fingers would push it absently up and through his hair and Daichi got entranced by the length of his lashes and…

“And that’s basically it!”

Daichi snapped out of his trance and focused on Koushi’s eyes, which were looking up at him, waiting for his response to the information he had just unloaded on him.

“I… I see,” Daichi said, voice rough. “So… what’s first?”

“First, I gotta cut up the tilapia and these guys,” he lifted a bag with small, silver fish. “Uhm, I didn’t know what to do with my silverware, so I’ve just got them in this box for now.” He turned to the box sitting on the kitchen island behind them and pried it open. He fished out a small wooden cutting board and a knife and set them aside.

Daichi’s eyes fell on the pale nape of Koushi’s neck visible beneath his hair, which curled slightly at the back. The urge to kiss it was so strong, Daichi had to force himself to turn his entire body away.

“Do you want some coffee?” he asked and went to the cupboard.

“Oh! Yes please! Ah… I didn’t wash your mugs for you yet—”

“It’s alright,” Daichi said and took two mugs from the cupboard. “Munchie gets one free pass.” He took them to the sink to give them a quick wash while Koushi giggled.

“I am sorry about that. I swore I put his lid on right. But I was kind of tired after putting the aquariums together. I didn’t get to sleep until around four a.m.”

“Jesus.” Daichi dried the mugs and set them on the counter in front of the coffee machine. “How are you awake right now?”

“Hmm… well I’m just so excited to finish unpacking.”

Daichi smiled and filled the mugs.

“Also you screamed really loud when you found Munchie.”

Daichi’s cheeks burned and he returned the coffee pot.

“Yeah well I was still half asleep and didn’t expect to find an octopus in my favorite mug.”

Koushi giggled again and Daichi threw a look over his shoulder at that pale nape, tingling once more with the urge to press his lips to his skin.

“Do you take your coffee with anything?”

“Black is fine!”

_Marry me._

Daichi bit his tongue to keep the words in his mouth.

He picked up the mugs and carried them to the island, setting Koushi’s down next to him.

“That’s good,” Daichi said. “I don’t think I have anything to put in it anyway.”

Koushi sang his thanks and finished slicing the tilapia. He took the knife to the sink and washed it and his hands before returning to the island and lifting the mug to his lips. Steam wafted over his face and Daichi stared at him in awe.

Handsome.

He was so handsome and cute and charming and Daichi was very screwed.

It was so hard being gay and stupid.

“Okay,” Koushi said when his coffee was nearly gone. “Let’s do this. We can start with the brine.” He placed his mug on the island and Daichi set his next to it. “This is the little dropper I use for it.” He showed Daichi a glass dropper and squeezed the rubber end. “I just stick it in here, suck up some brine, and squeeze it into the tanks. Here, grab this plate.”

Daichi did as he was told, lifting a plate with several slices and chunks of the silver fish and tilapia filets.

Koushi led the way into the living room and stopped at the first, smaller saltwater aquarium.

“It’s easy,” he said. “Just… squeeeeze.” He held the dropper over the aquarium and squeezed the brine shrimp into the water. The fish all went darting in to snatch up the cloudy clumps of food, chasing each other off in competition.

“See?” Koushi smiled up at him. “Easy! You try now.”

He passed the brine pod and dropper over to him while taking the plate. Daichi gave him an unsure look and Koushi answered with an encouraging smile.

“Okay,” Daichi sucked up some more brine and held it over the water. “Is this much alright?”

“Yep! There’s a bunch of guys in here so I do about five or six droppers full.”

Daichi squeezed the rubber top and the brine squirted out into the water. The fish rushed to consume the new offering and a thrill shot up Daichi’s spine, enticing a giddy smile to his lips.

It was a little pathetic, the sad truth that Daichi had never had a pet before in his twenty-six years. Animals as a whole were something strange and foreign to him but pets like dogs and cats were understandable and cute and soft and loveable. He understood what a person would get from having something warm and furry to curl up in your lap while you watch television.

Fish were another story.

He had never been able to wrap his head around the idea of loving something that seemed so cold and distant. He didn’t see the appeal.

But now…

“Look at them!” Daichi said. “They’re so… so pretty and… what kind is that?” He pointed at a rectangular fish of white and orange with blue hash marks along its side.

“That’s a butterflyfish,” Koushi said. “Her name is Mimi because she thinks the world revolves around her spoiled ass. She doesn’t get along well with the angelfish right here, Baker, but the yellow tang over there, Lemonhead, keeps them in line.”

“Did you name them _all_?”

“Yeah well, the unique ones. Even I’m not stupid enough to attempt to name every single neon tetra in that tank over there,” Koushi said with a snort and pointed to the fourth aquarium that Daichi hadn’t looked at yet.

They finished feeding the fish in that tank and moved to the large freshwater aquarium.

“These guys like tilapia,” Koushi said. “They go nuts for this shit. Here, trade again.”

They traded the plate and brine once more and Koushi gestured at him.

“Go ahead and toss some of those chunks in.”

Daichi did as he was told and let out a laugh as the fish attacked the food. Even the stingrays swam up from the bottom to grapple for a piece and Daichi added more, off to the side for Sanderella.

“Watch this,” Koushi said and grabbed a longer strip of tilapia from the plate. He lifted it up above the tank and wiggled it, whistling as if calling for a dog. “C’mon Moose! Come get it!”

The catfish noticed the piece and immediately made a pass for the top of the aquarium. He practically _lunged_ out of the water to grab the piece from Koushi’s hand, sending drops spraying over the side of the glass and splashing them in the face.

Koushi shrieked laughter and yanked his arm back, shaking water from his fingers.

Daichi joined him in laughing and watched Moose swim happily back into the crowd of Discus.

“I never thought a catfish could look _smug_ ,” Daichi admitted.

“Are you kiddin’?” Koushi said. “Catfish are born smug. Look at his stupid face. Bastard.” He leaned close to the aquarium and started cooing in an overly cute voice, "Are you a mean, smug bastard who thinks you deserve all the tilapia in the world? Huh? Yes you are! Yes you are! Who's lucky Daddy doesn't like to eat catfish? You are! My widdle Moosey Woosey is lucky! Yes he is!"

Daichi sputtered and turned away.

Yeah... his dad was wrong after all.

There was no way in hell that Daichi was ever going to regret this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh! It's Daisuga Week 2020! Amazing!
> 
> I really wish I was more organized and had prepared well enough that I didn't wind up scraping this fic all together at the last minute (as usual) but hey! That's life, sonny. It's bound to be a bit messy and unkempt but I really enjoyed the concept of this story and I hope you all like it too!
> 
> [drop in the ocean Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4akQJRtF0tUf2UPd6AjnzD?si=QGctjOlYSf6p1RBKo0-g_w)  
> Come yell at me on [Tumblr.](https://mooifyourecows.tumblr.com/) or [Twitter!](https://twitter.com/mooifyourecows)
> 
> Next Time:  
> Make a splash


	2. One of a kind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tonic immobility

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DaiSuga Week prompt: Aquarium
> 
> Mood:  
> [Only](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CNTxeffmLs)  
> "My disaster, you're my only answer  
> You got me thinking that I could be a master  
> Pretty baby, you're my heavy ocean  
> Weigh me down and give me your devotion"

Daichi leaned his hands against the counter and stared down at the wallet sitting directly in front of him.

It was just a leather rectangle. It wouldn’t bite him.

And yet for some reason, he couldn’t gather up the courage needed to touch it.

Even without opening it, Daichi knew it was Koushi’s. Partially because he had found it on the porch and partially because stamped into the brown leather was the image of an octopus holding smoking pipes in each of its eight arms and if there had ever been a wallet more perfectly suited for the man, Daichi had certainly never seen it.

Okay so finding the wallet of your new roommate on the porch of the house in which you cohabitate wasn’t strange. Not at all.

Except Koushi had left for work over an hour ago.

Which meant that Daichi was suddenly faced with an opportunity.

A _good_ roommate would bring the wallet to him. It was an important thing, after all. How could Koushi go all day without his wallet? What if he needed to buy something? Lunch? In the days that they had been living together, Daichi hadn’t noticed Koushi packing his own lunches before leaving for work on his Vespa, which meant that he most likely purchased something while he was out and about, right? The aquarium and museum were in a hot spot of activity and there were various locations to grab a quick and easy bite to eat while on the job.

Daichi would know. He was still mourning the outline of his abs which had completely disappeared after the first month of working at the museum.

In his defense, money _was_ tight, and the deli inside the museum's main atrium made a _mean_ meatball sandwich for only five bucks.

It’s not like he could keep his college body forever anyway.

Although… now that someone like Koushi Sugawara, who had eyes like magnets and liked to stare relentlessly, was living in the same house as him, Daichi was kinda regretting his new and unhealthy eating habits.

A little.

He shook his head.

That wasn’t important now.

Daichi’s love handles were a concern for a different day.

Now, Koushi’s wallet was sitting on the counter right in front of him and Koushi was at work and if Daichi was a _good_ roommate, he would take it to him.

It was his day off, after all, and he wasn’t doing anything important. Visiting Koushi at the aquarium could be… fun. He had never gone.

Despite working literally right across the street, Daichi had never taken the time to pop on over to the aquarium and see what they had. Before, it hadn’t interested him.

_Fish._

_Who cares?_

Well, as it turned out… _Daichi_ cared.

Because apparently, Daichi liked fish.

Who would have known?

Daichi liked fish and he liked… being a good roommate.

So that settled it.

He’d take the wallet to the aquarium, check out the fish, and get a meatball sandwich.

There. His day was scheduled.

Now, when his coworkers asked what he did on his days off, just so they could tease him about having no life, he would have something to rub in their faces.

_I went to the aquarium._

_… alone._

Somehow that felt even more pathetic than just staying home and lounging around on the couch in his underwear watching hours of television like he usually did.

Well, whatever. He had already made up his mind and he wasn’t going back on it now.

After a quick shower, Daichi dressed in a pair of jeans and then stood inside his closet, sifting through his shirts with an endless stream of groans. Why oh _why_ did he have to have zero fashion sense? He seriously had nothing that looked suave and cool and handsome that screamed, “please find me attractive”?

Work shirts and t-shirts.

That’s what Daichi had.

Oh well. He picked a t-shirt that didn’t look ten years old and worn out and pulled it on over his head. It was a little bit snug, what with the added meatball sandwich weight, but after taking a peek in the mirror, Daichi decided that it was still in the territory of good snug. The white looked nice against his tanned skin too.

Hopefully Koushi would notice.

He made a sweep through the kitchen for his car keys and both his and Koushi’s wallets, and then headed off for the aquarium, running through how he would greet Koushi when he saw him.

_Hey, you forgot your wallet._

_I wasn’t doing anything, so I figured I’d bring it to you._

_While I’m here, why don’t you give me a tour?_

_Talk my ear off about fish please._

_I love your voice and you’re so cute when you’re info dumping, please tell me everything that’s ever crossed your mind._

After pulling into a parking space and killing the engine, Daichi leaned his forehead against the steering wheel and sighed.

Man, he was so pathetic.

It was no secret- and never had been- that Daichi was a hopeless romantic who fell in love at the wink of an eye. His friends had teased him _constantly_ about it back in school. He had been given his fair share of hell about the way he’d sigh over the cute barista that served him coffee at his favorite café or his pitiful blushing and stammering to his hot, high school lab partner.

Daichi was just… weak to love and all the warm and fuzzy feelings that came along with it. He was infatuated with the idea of being someone’s one and only, of spending all his days and nights with him, learning everything there is to know about him and letting himself be known in exchange.

Now he was living with someone cute and charming and sweet who every morning made Daichi question if he was really existing in reality or had somehow crossed the astral plane and was stuck in some heavenly alternate universe. There was no way his luck was this good. There had to be some sort of catch.

Koushi had to be hiding some terrible secret.

How could Daichi actually be lucky enough to score him as a roommate? Handsome Koushi Sugawara who had an endearing interest and endless knowledge that Daichi had yet to grow bored of listening to him talk about. Sexy Koushi Sugawara who had a sly smirk and clearly enjoyed getting Daichi flustered with every touch to his thigh when they sat side by side on the couch and with every trip from the bathroom to his room in just a towel around his hips, dangerously low and loose and _just_ on the verge of falling and exposing everything.

It had only been about a week and Daichi was already head over heels for his new roommate.

Luckily… if Daichi’s gut was right… he suspected that maybe Koushi reciprocated those feelings.

How else could he explain the glances he caught him throwing his way while he exercised? Or the way he sometimes trailed behind him as he moved through the house, excitedly filling his ears with his voice as he talked and talked and…

Koushi Sugawara talked a lot.

Daichi… liked it.

A lot.

Because when Koushi was talking, Daichi got to listen, and listening to Koushi Sugawara talk was quickly becoming one of his absolute favorite things to do.

_I’m so pitiful._

Daichi sighed and climbed out of his car. After locking the doors, he traveled into the aquarium and bought himself a ticket.

Just past the lobby he drew to a stop.

Because he suddenly realized that he had no idea where to look to find Koushi.

So this was the limit of only living with someone for a week. As much as Koushi had talked to him, not once had it crossed Daichi’s mind to ask him at what part of the aquarium he spent his days. He had a ridiculous amount of knowledge about both freshwater and saltwater fish, seemingly not showing a strong preference for one or the other, so just where in the hell should he begin his search?

Daichi found a map of the aquarium on the wall and scoured it for any indication of where Koushi could be.

The aquarium was… huge. Much bigger than Daichi realized. His eyes roamed over the map, taking in all the different rooms and exhibits. There was a place for everything. Sea otters, sea lions, penguins, jellyfish, coral reef, tide pools…

Where in the hell was Daichi supposed to start?

Just as he was steeling himself to begin his search, his eyes fell on a woman wearing the blue polo of the aquarium’s staff uniform and he released a breath.

Duh.

He’d just ask.

“Excuse me,” he called and approached the woman, who looked up from the clipboard in her hands at the sound of his voice. “I’m looking for Koushi Sugawara? I’m his roommate and I need to give him something he left at home.”

The woman pushed her glasses up her nose and checked her watch. “He should be in the lagoon.”

“The lagoon?”

“Shark lagoon.” She crooked her finger at him and turned. “I’ll show you. I was on my way there anyway.”

“Oh! Thank you…” Daichi chased after her as she headed off towards a glass door leading farther into the aquarium.

“My name is Kiyoko Shimizu,” she said. “I work as the Director of Conservation. You’re Koushi’s new roommate?”

“Yeah,” Daichi said, struggling to keep up with her swift stride as they crossed into a new room full of educational pillars and interactive monitors. The room was full of chatter from nearby children and the screens explaining various aquatic subjects. “I’m Daichi Sawamura. I work at the museum across the street.”

“Hmm…” Kiyoko led him to a large elevator and stepped inside. “And you don’t have a problem with his… hobby?”

Daichi stood at her side and watched her tap a button on the control panel to the right of the door. “Do you mean the fish? I don’t mind at all. I actually like it. I never realized fish could be so interesting.”

“That’s fortunate then. Koushi has a history of getting into trouble for his collecting.”

The doors slid shut and the elevator traveled downwards.

“Be patient with him,” she said. “He means well. But don’t be afraid to set up boundaries. If you’re not careful, he’ll have your entire back yard dug up and turned into a pond.”

Daichi chuckled. “That sounds fun, actually.” He hesitated. “Well. Maybe not the _whole_ yard…”

The elevator slowed to a stop and the doors slid open on the new floor.

“Be sure to get that in writing,” Kiyoko said and led the way out into a large, dark room.

Daichi was momentarily entranced by the new location, steps slowing across the dark blue carpet with swirling aqua and white patterns. Floor lights lit the path up along a wall of glass displaying exhibits of all sorts of aquatic creatures. To his left were floating, glowing jellyfish and to his right were great schools of shining fish all swimming in time, shine glinting off their scales like flashing club lights.

He wanted to take his time to observe every tank they passed but Kiyoko was already plowing ahead and Daichi had to jog to catch up to her.

They wound down and around until emerging onto an even larger section of the room, where the ceilings stretched high above them and Daichi felt like he was in an arena, about to watch a performance on stage.

But where a stage ought to be, there was another tank, an unfathomably tall and wide and deep structure that Daichi’s eyes were immediately drawn to. Inside, the water was crystal clear, sitting atop light brown sand.

As they drew closer, Daichi finally noticed the tank’s inhabitants.

Sharks circled in the water near the back of the tank, several smaller, thinner fish sticking close to them and even hitching a ride to the surface of their skin.

It was both haunting and enchanting to see the creatures, swimming so close. Daichi was enraptured by their large, graceful bodies as they sliced through the water, ignoring one another and their audience of Daichi and a few others peering through the glass a short distance away.

“You’ll want to get a good seat,” Kiyoko said, drawing him from his trance.

“Huh?” He glanced at her, blinking the awe from his eyes.

She nodded at the shark tank and then checked her watch. “It’ll be starting soon. And there’s a whole gaggle of elementary schoolers on their way down here right now.”

Before he could ask what she was talking about, she turned and walked off to a door marked “Aquarium Staff Only” and disappeared from view.

Daichi turned back to the shark tank with a frown.

Where was Koushi?

Wasn’t she leading him to him?

Maybe she was fetching him now.

Oh well. Since he was there, he might as well sit and watch the sharks swim for a bit.

Daichi made his way across the room, closer to the tank, and found an empty, padded seat closest the glass. He sat and stretched his legs out with a sigh. Pressure against his bottom from both his back pockets reminded him that his first and foremost mission for going to the aquarium was to give Koushi his wallet and he quietly reassured himself that he wouldn’t get distracted and forget his purpose.

Minutes passed while Daichi watched the sharks swim and the seats around him started to fill with bodies, mostly children.

A short woman with blonde hair, wearing the aquarium’s uniform, stood in front of the group of kids and called for their attention.

“I know, this is what you’ve all been waiting for, isn’t it?” she said and the kids shouted their agreement. She gestured at the tank behind her. “Does anybody know what the names of these types of sharks are?”

She called on a few kids and they offered their guesses.

"Great guesses! Well, some of you. No, there are no _megalodons_ in this aquarium."

The children giggled.

“There are three types of sharks in this tank!” the woman said. “Hammerhead sharks, tiger sharks, and Caribbean reef sharks. Those smaller fish swimming with them are pilot fish and remoras. They have a really nice and beneficial relationship. They keep the sharks clean of parasites and dead skin and then get to feed off the little scraps of food that the sharks don’t eat themselves!”

Daichi tuned in to the lesson, even if he’d much rather be hearing it from Koushi.

The woman went on, explaining how large each species of shark could grow and how long they lived, earning ooh’s and ahh’s from the restless children.

“Tiger sharks are considered _very_ dangerous,” she went on. “They are aggressive predators known to take a chomp out of whatever they can get. And they’re less picky than Great White sharks, so they’re less likely to swim away after just one bite!” She inched off to the side, giving the kids a better view of the tank. “It’s verrry important that you stay far, far away from these sharks in the wild. Only highly trained and properly equipped divers should engage with them. Speaking of which…”

Daichi’s eyes drifted back to the tank just as something appeared at the very top. A dark form plunged into the water, surrounded by bubbles that quickly shot for the surface. It sunk in a straight line towards the bottom of the tank and the lower it got, the clearer its shape became.

It was a diver, dressed in what looked like a black wetsuit, standing atop a silver box attached to a rope that he held in his hands. Bubbles expelled from his mask and Daichi blinked, leaning forward.

Because fluttering around the diver’s head… well, Daichi recognized that hair.

The metal box hit the sand with a puff and Koushi stepped off of it, kicking his flippers to situate himself on his knees next to the box.

The children were raving over his appearance, all wiggling in their seats in excitement.

“This is our shark handler, Koushi Sugawara!” the woman said. “Nobody knows sharks quite like Koushi does! He’s brought some snacks in with him today, so let’s see what happens!”

The sharks, having noticed Koushi’s arrival, swam languidly closer and anxiety turned Daichi’s palms clammy. Koushi ignored their approach as he worked the box open and reached inside. Before he could produce an offering, one of the hammerhead sharks swam directly towards him, mouth opening and revealing long, serrated teeth.

Without an ounce of care in the world, Koushi reached a gloved hand up, grabbed the shark’s wide, flat face, and pushed it to the side, redirecting its path over his shoulder. Once it was past and circling around, Koushi finally fetched a fish from the box and held it up, wiggling it through the water.

Another shark saw and made a swipe for it, jaw snapping. Koushi released the fish and jerked his arm back just in time to miss getting bit and then fetched another.

It was amazing, watching how deftly he controlled the sharks and tossed them treats. At one point, he was completely shrouded from view by the sharks’ bodies as they surrounded and circled him. Eventually his box emptied and upon realizing the meal was over, some of the sharks drifted away, though not far, watching him in case he decided to produce new food for them to fight over.

The few that stayed behind continued to circle Koushi, occasionally moving close to bop him with their noses or rub against his side.

“Now that lunch is over, we get to see how Koushi likes to play!” the woman said. “Oh! Looks like Echo the tiger shark is feeling playful today, as usual!”

Koushi swam up a ways from the bottom of the tank and one large shark in particular, at least as long as Koushi was tall, followed him. They seemed to dance in the water, circling each other in a playful manner. Koushi reached out and tugged on the shark’s fins and tail, coaxing her into chasing him all up and down and around the tank. A few of the other sharks tagged along behind, but eventually grew bored with their display and wandered off to join the others.

As Koushi and Echo were making a pass along the glass in front of their audience, Koushi swam in a spiral and Echo danced with him, circling gracefully through the water. They made their way back to the bottom of the aquarium and Koushi knelt in the sand, holding his arms out. Echo made an arc around him and swam directly into his arms, nuzzling into the crook of his elbow. Koushi rubbed all along her skin and she swam through and circled back around.

This time when she got close, Koushi caught her by the nose and immediately started stroking and scratching. Echo stilled, suddenly going docile and slow, as if in a trance.

“This method of handling is called _tonic immobility_ ,” the woman explained. “Sharks have a special spot on their noses that are extremely sensitive, and to them, it feels really nice and relaxing when that spot is stroked like Koushi is doing now. It’s so powerful that they go into a calm, trance-like state. This helps a lot when divers need to do something to the sharks, like remove a hook from their mouths or attach a tag to their tails for monitoring.”

Daichi watched in awe as Koushi continued to pet Echo, one hand reaching along the length of her body and gently taking her dorsal fin. Carefully, he tugged on her fin and nudged her nose and Echo’s body drifted slowly up, angling so that her tail pointed towards the sky and she balanced in a perfect vertical line in the palm of Koushi’s hand.

“ _Whooooaaaaa_ ,” the kids all exclaimed and Daichi nearly joined them.

It was incredible, watching Koushi handle the animal as if she _wasn’t_ an aggressive predator that must weigh hundreds of pounds outside of the water.

Finally, he scratched the back of her head and gave her a push and Echo’s body writhed until she was horizontal once more, swimming down and rubbing against his legs. A few of the other sharks moved close and Koushi did the same to them, stroking their noses until they went calm enough for him to move them as he pleased through the water. He continued the play for long minutes until another metal box dropped into the water and Koushi swam to fetch it.

All the other sharks that had been hanging back came forward at the new promise of food and Koushi had to push a few of the more eager ones out of the way to get to the box. They followed him back down to the sand and circled him as he started divvying out the treats. He made sure that each bite was taken in front of the glass of the tank for their audience to see, enticing excited chatter from the children and making Daichi’s breath catch every time Koushi’s hand was nearly chomped by a massive mouth filled with serrated teeth.

When the food was once again gone, the majority of the sharks left and Koushi knelt in the sand, petting Echo as she settled in his lap.

“Alright!” the blonde woman clapped her hands. “Looks like the show is over! Who wants to go see the penguins?”

The kids shouted their approval and Daichi watched them jump to their feet and follow the woman away. Once they were all gone and Daichi was one of the only people left still lingering in the shark lagoon, he pushed to his feet and moved closer to the tank.

Echo was still resting on Koushi’s thighs, perfectly still as he smoothed his hands up over her head and stroked her nose.

It was surreal to watch. The shark seemed perfectly content to cuddle, like a bone-weary chocolate lab soaking in its owner’s affection after a long day of play. The love he could see in Koushi’s motions and the way he stared down at her, face half shrouded in his mask, was palpable. It warmed Daichi to his core and he could just watch them forever.

Finally, Koushi noticed him.

Echo grew restless and wiggled out of his lap, making a circle around him, and when Koushi lifted his head to follow her, his eyes fell on Daichi where he stood outside of the tank. Koushi’s hands popped into the air and he waved with both of them, pushing up off of the sand.

Daichi smiled and waved back. Koushi swam up to the glass and pressed his gloved hands to it right in front of Daichi.

Daichi pressed his hands against the glass on the opposite side, suddenly feeling like he had been transported into a romantic, _Shape of Water_ type situation. Heat rushed his face and he cleared his throat in embarrassment, noticing how Koushi’s eyes squinted in amusement inside his mask.

Echo bopped him on the shoulder, trying to steal back his attention and Koushi waved his hands at Daichi, indicating at him to watch. He swam back a ways and gestured for Echo, making an arch over his head with one arm. Picking up on the cues, Echo floated up and over his head upside down and Koushi put his hands on her back, giving a little push as if he was lifting her like a body builder thrusting a barbell into the air.

Bubbles exploded out of Koushi’s breathing apparatus and Daichi chuckled at the comically puffed and triumphant pose he gave him. Daichi responded with a small round of applause and Koushi nudged Echo out of her position. She sliced through the water and came back around, squeezing her way in between Koushi’s legs and popping him up off of the sand with a buck of her massive head. Koushi’s arms windmilled and he rolled backwards and off of her, coaxing a laugh from Daichi.

For the next few minutes, they joked and played and Daichi watched until his cheeks hurt from smiling so wide.

Eventually, Koushi held one finger up at Daichi and then turned and swam to the two metal boxes. He grabbed the ropes connected to each and began his ascent to the top of the tank, Echo hot on his heels. When he disappeared from view, Daichi waited another minute to see if he’d reappear and then moved back to sit on one of the padded seats.

He waited patiently, twiddling his thumbs and attempting to control the swelling beat of his heart in his chest.

Koushi was so much more amazing than he had previously thought.

Handsome, cute, funny, charming, and so enigmatic that even _sharks_ fought for his attention?

There was no way Daichi was this lucky.

“Daichi!”

His heart just about made a flying leap out through his mouth at the sound of the voice. Daichi shoved to his feet and turned to face Koushi where he rushed in his direction. He had changed out of his wetsuit and wore a pair of jeans and a blue polo with the aquarium’s logo on the breast. Around his shoulders was a white towel and his hair was wet and dripping. There were indents in the flushed skin of his face from where his mask and oxygen tank had pressed tight and the sight of the marks brought a smile to Daichi’s lips.

Without thinking, he reached out and brushed his thumb over the line in his cheek.

“You look like you fell asleep on something,” he said.

Koushi blinked at him and the sudden realization that Daichi had _touched_ him hit him like a truck. He quickly pulled his hand back and cleared his throat.

“Uh, anyway!” Daichi reached into his back pocket and pulled out Koushi’s wallet. “I found this. On the porch. And I figured you might need it.”

Koushi looked at the wallet and then up into Daichi’s face again. “You came to town… bought a ticket for the aquarium, and waited through the shark feeding just to give me my wallet?”

Daichi looked away, face burning. “Well, it’s not like I had anything to do today anyway…”

Koushi let out a laugh. “Thanks.”

His hand wrapped around Daichi’s fingers momentarily before taking the wallet out of his hold and Daichi could just _scream._

“To show my gratitude, let me buy you lunch!” Koushi said and caught Daichi’s hand. “C’mon, there are some really yummy places to eat here in the aquarium.”

“Oh,” Daichi stumbled after him as he tugged on his hand and led the way across the room. “Uhm, sure. I could eat.”

He got his feet underneath him and walked at Koushi’s side, expecting him to drop his hand.

But he didn’t.

They crossed the room and stepped into a glass tunnel and still Koushi held Daichi’s hand. Not that Daichi minded. He was too distracted by the underwater world they had emerged into.

“Holy…” Daichi mumbled, gazing up at the ceiling of the tunnel at the fish swimming overhead.

“This is my favorite part of the aquarium,” Koushi said. “Other than the shark lagoon. Doesn’t it feel magical?”

Daichi was speechless, eyes working overtime to take in all the tunnel had to show him. It felt as if he had been transported deep, deep into the sea, surrounded by natural rock formations and foliage that swayed with the motion of the sea life that swam through the water. The entire tunnel glowed with a mystical blue and green, shadows from the fish darting over the low walls and floor and Daichi’s awed face.

“Oh look!” Koushi squeezed Daichi’s hand and pointed as a stingray swam up and over the curve of the tunnel, revealing its pale underbelly and smiling mouth. Koushi released a gasp and Daichi looked at him. “Daichi! I should take you to see the mantas!”

“Mantas?”

“Oh my god you’ll _love_ them. They’re _huge_.” He tugged him farther into the tunnel a few steps before stopping and gasping again. “Do you want to pet one?”

“Huh?”

“Yeah! Oh my god! This is perfect timing! Iris is getting a check-up today so we'll be catching her in the stretcher anyway. You can tag along and meet her!”

“Isn’t that… dangerous?” Daichi asked. “I’ve never gone diving before…”

“Manta rays are docile,” Koushi said. “And she'll be at the surface. So no diving experience necessary.”

Daichi rubbed the back of his neck. “Is it okay? Don’t I have to buy a special pass or something?”

“It’s okay, it’s okay.” Koushi flapped his free hand. “I’m in charge of the stretcher team so what I say, goes.” He shrugged. “And the rest of the team is chill, so I know they won’t mind anyway.”

Daichi hesitated another moment before relenting. “Okay. That sounds fun.”

“Yay!” Koushi hopped up and down. “You’re gonna be amazed, Daichi! Iris is our biggest one— oh my god look!”

He pointed in time for Daichi to catch sight of a huge shadow swimming languidly over the top of the tunnel.

“Nyx! Ahhh, she’s blessed us,” Koushi dragged Daichi to the side of the tunnel to watch as the shark disappeared behind a cluster of rock. “That’s one of our whale sharks,” he explained. “The biggest sharks in the ocean. Do you wanna hear some cool facts about them?”

“Yeah,” Daichi said immediately. “Tell me.”

“Okay! Well, whale sharks are filter feeders, just like manta rays and whales. Only two other sharks are filter feeders. Basking sharks, which are the second biggest sharks, and megamouths, but we don’t really know that much about those guys. They’re pretty elusive.” Koushi reached up and tucked a lock of damp hair over his ear. “The whale shark is called that because it’s as big as some species of whales. That, and the filter feeding thing. Nyx is _twelve_ meters long. Almost forty feet! Oh, and although whale sharks are filter feeders, they still have teeth. _Over three hundred rows of them_. Though they’re tiny and don’t seem to be used in eating at all. Guess they’re just for chomping purposes.” Koushi giggled. “But they’re docile! Gentle giants. They just swim around eating all day, every day. And they can live for over seventy years!”

Daichi watched him silently, turning warm with affection for the excited way Koushi spoke, occasionally throwing his hand up for theatrics. He was so energetic that Daichi had no choice but to be totally enamored in every way, shape, and form. He spoke about fish as if they were the single most fascinating things in the universe and that enthusiasm was so contagious, Daichi couldn’t help but agree.

Fish _were_ the most interesting things in the universe and Daichi could listen to Koushi talk about them for hours.

“Tell me about tiger sharks,” he said when Koushi finished his long lecture about whale sharks.

Koushi looked up at him with a bright expression. “Tiger sharks are my _favorite_.”

Daichi smiled.

_Score._

“Okay so, tiger sharks don’t live as long as whale sharks, unfortunately. In the wild they can live for around fifteen years, sometimes even longer. They reach sexual maturity at around seven to ten years old and the females mate every three years or so. Sharks are so interesting in how they reproduce because the babies hatch _inside_ the mother and then live inside her for _sixteen months!_ Isn’t that crazy? And there’s a _fuckton_ of them! A litter can be between a dozen and _eighty_ pups _._ Oh, the babies are called pups, isn’t that adorable?”

They continued slowly up the tunnel, still holding hands.

“The way they mate is so mean too because while the male shark is doing his part, he _chomps_ down on the female to keep her from moving, isn’t that _mean?_ ” Koushi peered up at him. “I mean… don’t get me wrong, I think biting during sex is _hot_ but he literally just clamps down so she can’t move and a lot of the time the female _hates_ it but can’t wiggle free because it would hurt too much.” Koushi shook his head with a sigh. “Savages. Someone needs to tell male tiger sharks that the best way to get someone to have sex with him is to treat them nice.”

Daichi chuckled. “You mean he should take her on a date first?”

“Sure, why not? They live in the motherfucking _ocean_. Think of all the possibilities for romantic dates!”

“Hmm, like terrorizing some swimmers at the beach?”

“Absolutely.” Koushi smirked at him. “But anyway, when tiger sharks are born, they have stripes all along their body that fade as they get bigger. Though you probably noticed that they don’t go away completely. Echo has some of the darkest stripes on a mature tiger shark I’ve ever seen! Which makes sense. She loves to stand out, after all.”

Daichi slowed their pace just to listen to him talk longer, infatuated with the sound of his voice and little smiles and nose scrunches he sent him every other minute.

They wandered through the aquarium, occasionally stopping at another exhibit where Koushi pointed out its inhabitants and fed him some facts about them. He never ran out of things to say, constantly flipping from species to species, like an encyclopedia of the sea.

Finally, they reached the food court and Koushi dragged him right up to the counter of a café. They ordered their food and Koushi paid, bantering with the man behind the counter all the while. Once they had a number, Koushi grabbed Daichi’s hand and led him to the side of the café where a staircase waited.

“I like to eat on the second floor,” he explained as they climbed. “There’s a koi pond.”

At the top of the stairs, Koushi pulled Daichi to a table next to a trickling pond with beautiful stonework and paper lanterns that glowed a soft white light.

They spent a few moments watching the fish swimming through the water in silence. The bottom of the pond was black, making the bright orange, red, white, and yellow of the koi pop in extreme contrast.

“Okay,” Daichi said. “Tell me about koi.”

Koushi hummed, a small smile ticking up the corners of his mouth. “Nishikigoi. Well. They’re carp. In some places, they're considered heavily symbolic. Some cultures think they represent good fortune and some think they represent courage... friendship... love... etcetera. And there are _so many_ varieties.”

“What variety are those ones?” Daichi pointed into the pond.

“There are about six different varieties in this one pond!” Koushi perked and leaned closer. “That pretty gold one right there is a chagoi. The one over there that looks similar to it but with a more metallic look to its scales? That’s a kinginrin. Then the one right there with the markings that look like a spine is a shusui. Hmmm…” He tapped his chin. “Oh, of course those three right there are kohaku. They’re the more common ones you see everywhere, with the white and orange. Oh! See that one with the big red circle on its head?” He glanced over at Daichi and indicated at a koi that was all white save for the large red spot.

Daichi leaned closer and hummed his confirmation.

“That’s a tancho koi,” Koushi said. “Ahh and then my favorite of this bunch is that crazy lookin’ one with all the metallic orange and silver. That’s a kin-kikokuryu koi.” He rested his elbows on the table and propped his chin up in a cradle of his hands, eyes following the koi fish as they circled each other. “Koi are super hardy. There have been reports of ones living for over _two hundred years_. Can you imagine? Writing an heirloom koi fish into your will to pass on to your children or grandchildren because they’re likely to outlive you?” He grinned and Daichi’s heart leapt. “They’re so cool.”

Daichi smiled. “They are cool. And so are you.”

Koushi blinked at him.

“How do you know so much about aquatic life?” Daichi asked. “Did you study this stuff in college?”

“Hm…” Koushi glanced at the koi again. “Nah. Didn’t go to college. I just… like it. When I find a new fish or other sea creature that interests me, I get obsessed with learning everything I can about them. It’s just my lame hobby I guess.”

Daichi chuckled. “Not a lame hobby. Sounds like a full-blown passion to me.”

Koushi peeked at him in the corner of his eyes and Daichi gave him a small smile.

“Don’t diminish it. It’s awesome. And you’ve found a way to make a living off of it. That makes it even more incredible. Most people only get to immerse themselves in their passions _off_ of the clock. I envy you.”

Koushi tugged on a lock of hair behind his ear. “You mean you’re not passionate about being a security guard?”

“Can’t say I spent very many nights lying in bed wishing I could be the keeper of fine art when I was a kid.”

“You mean you didn’t watch _Night at the Museum_ every night for three months because the little cowboy and Roman dude were the first gay couple you had ever seen in mainstream media and it gave you hope for the future?”

Daichi laughed. “No, no I can’t say I have that super specific formative experience.”

“Just me, huh?” Koushi smirked.

_Daichi._

_He just hinted to you that he’s gay._

_Daichi._

_What should we do?_

Silence spread over them as Daichi wracked his mind for something to say. He dug around for a similar experience, something innocent and lighthearted to share about how he realized he was also gay or that gave him hope for a future where he would have a boyfriend and eventually a husband.

But apparently Daichi didn’t have anything like that. His gay awakening had been embarrassing, to say the least. It definitely wasn’t something appropriate for polite conversation on what he was going to secretly call a date in his head.

_I realized I was gay when I stumbled upon gay porn and it was the only genre that got me interested._

_Nah, nah, I can’t tell him that._

He absolutely couldn’t tell Koushi that his father had caught him watching said porn and, in his panic, had taken thirteen year old Daichi to a strip club and very desperately begged him to have a good time with it.

No way he could drop a sad, somewhat traumatic experience like that on their first kind of date.

Even if it did have a mostly happy ending, his single father coming to terms with his toxic masculinity and working steadily since then to overcome it, even offering to take Daichi to a strip show more his speed once he turned eighteen… a misguided but appreciated effort… Daichi couldn’t tell Koushi all _that_.

_That’s a third date conversation._

_At least._

If only there was something, some subtle way to hint that he was on the same team, that he was an option, if Koushi chose to see him as one.

“I gay too,” Daichi blurted out.

_Noooooooooooooo!_

He fucked it up!

Koushi was looking at him with wide eyes, lips pressed tight together in attempts to stifle his obvious urge to laugh, and Daichi wanted to _die_.

“I mean, I’m also…” Daichi’s face burned. “Uhm, I didn’t have that experience, with _Night at the Museum_ , but uhm, I’m also gay. Uh. Ya know. I figured that maybe… it might be… something you’d be interested in knowing. Uhm. Yeah.”

Koushi’s hand lifted, his fingers hid his lips, but it was too late. His amusement was clear as day in his flushed cheeks and squinting eyes that glossed over with moisture.

“Oh!” Koushi said, voice trembling. “Good to know!”

“Please stop. I didn’t mean to say it like that. I just thought I’d say it and I did a real fuck up job of it, I know. Please don’t rub it in.” Daichi sighed.

Koushi finally released a laugh and the sound echoed through the room. He sat back in his chair, hands pressing over his stomach as his laughter swelled and grew, turning squeaky and breathless.

Daichi groaned and held his head in his hands.

“ _I gay too_ ,” Koushi repeated and Daichi’s groan grew in volume. “Daichi you’re so funny!”

“Wasn’t trying to be funny,” he grumbled.

“That just makes it funnier!”

Before Daichi could say another word, a tray of food was being placed on the table in front of him.

“Enjoy,” the café employee said and left them alone once more.

Koushi giggled and sat forward, using the towel around his neck to dry his tears.

“Ahhh, Daichi,” he said, voice trembling with the last remnants of his laughter. “I like you a lot.”

Giddy warmth replaced Daichi’s humiliation and he looked away.

“Oh,” he said. “Good.”

Koushi giggled.

* * *

“Yowza, Daichi, that looks good on you!”

Daichi stiffened at the sound of Koushi’s voice and he immediately stopped tugging self-consciously on the wet suit he had spent the last five minutes struggling to fit his body into. He turned to face Koushi where he joined him, wearing an identical outfit and looking much, like a _million times_ , better in it than Daichi did.

Of course it had to be a day on which Daichi was overtly aware of his love handles that he was forced to wear something _skin tight_.

“I think it’s the wrong size,” Daichi admitted, resisting the urge to tug again at his crotch.

Koushi’s eyes wandered over him and he hummed. “Nahh… looks _perfect_ to me.”

Daichi couldn’t tell if he was teasing him.

He blushed anyway, looking away from his glinting eyes and smirking lips.

“Here, these are for you,” Koushi said and Daichi glanced at him again to take the long, black flippers he offered. “You can wait to put them on when we get there though. Are you ready?”

“Uhm, yeah.” He followed Koushi through the door and into a long hallway, feeling self-conscious and out of place, but a little bit excited, albeit anxiously. “Are you sure it’s okay for me to do this?” he asked. “I won’t be in the way?”

“It’s fine!” Koushi reassured him, smacking his flippers together in his hands. “Me and my guys will go in first and then I’ll invite you in. You can pet Iris. Splash around in the water a little bit. It’ll be fun!”

“Uh huh…” Daichi gulped. “I just… don’t want you to get in trouble for bringing an outsider in…”

Koushi flapped one of his flippers at him. “Haven’t you heard? I’m untouchable here. Nobody can work the sharks better than me and the public _loves_ the shows I put on.” He shrugged. “Basically, I can do whatever I want and they’ll never fire me.” After a pause, he let out a laugh. “Okay, that’s not true. There are _some_ things that I’d get fired for. But letting you pet a manta ray is definitely not one of them. So relax!”

“Hmm…”

Koushi laughed and hooked his arm through Daichi’s elbow, hauling him into his side.

“C’mon, Daichi. It’s going to be so fun! You’re about to pet a manta ray! One of the giants of the ocean! Do you even realize how lucky you are?”

Actually, yes.

Daichi did realize how lucky he was. He was lucky for so, so many reasons and that was part of the problem.

Surely he was getting all his good luck all at once.

What happened when he ran out?

Before Daichi could even formulate a reply, they were emerging from the hallway into a massive room with high ceilings across which were numerous thick, metal beams. Straight ahead, about twenty meters, was the edge of an immense pool of water that spread out and filled the majority of the room. Several walkways were constructed over the pool and people dressed in the aquarium’s uniform and wet suits roamed about, chattering.

“Holy shit,” Daichi whispered.

Koushi giggled. “Isn’t it cool? This is the biiiiig tank. The one that goes over the tunnel we were in earlier.” He led him up and around the side of the pool to where a group of aquarists hung out, gazing out over the water.

“Hey, hey, hey, Koushi!” One of the aquarists in a wet suit waved exuberantly. He was a big guy, with white and grey hair that hung damp around his grinning face. His eyes were large and golden yellow, his eyebrows thick and arched.

Standing at his side was another man, more slender than the last, with messy black hair and a shit-eating smirk. He eyed Daichi with amusement before glancing at Koushi, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Heyy,” Koushi greeted and pulled Daichi up to stand in front of them. “Koutarou, Tetsurou, this is my roommate, Daichi.”

Daichi cleared his throat and offered his hand to the one named Tetsurou. “Hi,” he said. “Nice to meet you.”

Tetsurou shook his hand. “Same.”

Koutarou snatched Daichi’s hand from Tetsurou and shook it wildly up and down. “Hey, hey, hey! It’s awesome to meet you! I’m Koutarou! You and Koushi live together? Wild! That must suck so bad for you!”

Koushi swatted at him and he jumped back to avoid him, letting out a barking laugh.

“Excuse you, I’m a delight to live with,” Koushi said with a huff. He removed his arm from Daichi’s elbow and glanced around. “Alright, where’s Kiyoko? Hey! Why haven’t you put the stretcher in the water yet?” He walked off, calling out and directing people and they all jumped to follow his commands.

“So you’re gonna help us?” Tetsurou asked, drawing Daichi’s attention back to him.

“Oh,” he scratched the back of his head. “Not really help… Koushi just invited me to watch and like… pet the manta.”

“Lucky you! Iris is a total babe,” Koutarou said and _god_ he was loud.

“Except when she _bites,_ ” Tetsurou said, giving Daichi a pointed stare. “Whatever you do, don’t get near her mouth…”

Daichi gulped. And then paused.

“Wait. Koushi said manta rays are filter feeders. Doesn’t that mean they don’t bite?”

Koutarou laughed again and slapped him on the back. “Nice try, Tetsu! This guy knows his stuff!”

Daichi winced at the blow. “Ah, not really. I’m actually pretty stupid when it comes to this stuff. But Koushi has been telling me a lot so… I’ve picked up on a few things.”

“Cute,” Tetsurou said with a smirk.

Daichi’s cheeks warmed. “Is it?”

Suddenly a loud sound of machinery whirring drew their gazes to where a giant, blue tarp drifted over their heads, controlled by a massive metal arm attached to one of the beams on the ceiling. The tarp moved over the water, opened up, and slowly lowered until it was completely submerged.

“That’s where we catch our big darlings,” Tetsurou explained, gesturing at the tarp. “We coax them to swim over the top and then lift it up to make a little shallow pool that they can’t swim out of.”

Daichi hummed. “That’s pretty cool. They don’t mind it?”

“Naah,” Koutarou said, stretching his arms high above his head and damn it, Daichi was a little bit envious of how much better his muscular body looked in his wetsuit. “These babes are docile as hell! We train them every day to get used to swimming over it and we give them check-ups a couple times a year so they know the drill.”

“Doesn’t hurt that we got Mister Fish Whisperer on our side,” Tetsurou added, nodding in Koushi’s direction where he was pulling on an air tank, talking to Kiyoko. “Dude must give off a pheromone or something. Back before he worked here, this whole process took about double the time it takes now.”

“Yeah, Koushi is awesome!” Koutarou added, and Daichi got the vague sense that the two were purposefully talking Koushi up to him.

Unnecessary.

Daichi was already weak for the guy. He didn’t need any more reasons to stay up all night thinking about him.

“Have you seen him with the sharks?” Koutarou asked, eyes bright. “He’s such a cool badass!”

“Yeah,” Daichi chuckled. “Earlier today, actually. Amazing.”

“You know, he used to do that out in the wild,” Tetsurou said. “Go diving and feed wild sharks. Then his favorite shark got sick and he called up the aquarium to take her in. The rescue team that went to pick her up was so impressed by his knowledge and ability that they hired him on the spot.”

“Isn’t that cool?” Koutarou asked. “That’s how good he is!”

They were both looking at him expectantly and yup, they were definitely trying to talk Koushi up.

_You don’t need to do that._

_I’ve been simping since day one._

_Thanks anyway though._

Before Daichi could reply, Koushi’s voice was drawing their attention.

“Okay, enough chit chat! Everyone get where you’re supposed to be!”

Daichi looked over and spotted him where he stood at the edge of the pool, wearing his flippers and air tank, a pair of goggles on his face. Aquarists all moved around quickly and Koutarou slapped Daichi’s back again.

“Go ahead and wait over there,” he said. “We’ll let you know when it’s okay to get in the water!”

“Okay…” Daichi walked a short distance away and lowered to his bottom on the floor to struggle the flippers onto his feet, watching as Koushi dropped into the water. He scooted to the edge of the pool to watch him reappear and turn to reach for what looked like a torpedo as it was lowered into his hands.

Once he had the torpedo in his grip, Koushi placed his air tank mouthpiece over his mouth and submerged underwater once more. Daichi’s eyes followed the shadow of his body through the water until it disappeared from view.

It was busy and loud but organized. Everyone seemed to know exactly what they were doing, whether it be Koutarou and Tetsurou spreading out on opposite ends of the stretcher or the aquarists carrying an inflated boat to the water, pointing and speaking and doing their jobs without complaint. Daichi noticed Kiyoko a short distance away with a group of people. She and three others were in wet suits while the rest wore their uniform, talking over clipboards and toolboxes.

A woman with long brown hair pulled up in a tight bun at the back of her head approached Kiyoko and her group, and she stood out like a sore thumb. Instead of a wetsuit or the aquarium uniform, she wore a navy blue pencil skirt and blazer and a pair of tan heels. She looked out of place and rigid as she spoke to Kiyoko, nose upturned.

_Yikes._

_Boss lady?_

Daichi did not want to get stuck talking to someone like—

Fuck she spotted him.

Fuck she was walking towards him.

Directly in front of Daichi, a head broke the surface of the water, momentarily distracting him from the looming threat of what was probably the boss, on her way to tell him to get the fuck out.

Koushi pulled his mouthpiece off and shook his head, sending water droplets flying every direction.

“Daichi, grab my scooter for me, would ya?” he said, lifting the torpedo up to the surface of the water.

“Oh, sure.” Daichi scooted closer to the edge and leaned over to grab the scooter. He lifted it up and out of the water, setting it on the floor next to him.

Koushi swam to the ladder a short distance away and climbed out of the water.

“Who is this?”

Daichi glanced up at the woman as she reached them, eyes on him.

Koushi shrugged his air tank off of his shoulders and placed it next to the water scooter.

“This is Daichi,” he said, removing his goggles next. “He’s doing research for a paper at university. Do you have a problem with that, Ms. Tobe?”

She eyed Daichi silently for a moment and Daichi gulped.

Damn it.

Why did he let Koushi convince him to do this? He wasn’t used to… _rule breaking_ and _lying_. What if he got in trouble? What if he got arrested? Banned from the aquarium for life?

Could his first time there really be his last?

Ms. Tobe opened her mouth to speak but Koushi suddenly gave his head a violent shake and water went splattering everywhere, causing her to jump and move out of range with an irritated expression.

“Oops, sorry, Ms. Tobe,” Koushi said. “You might wanna stay back. We’re kind of in the middle of something right now. So if you have something you want to say, maybe hold onto it for when I’m not busy.”

Judging by the look that crossed Ms. Tobe’s face, Daichi guessed that she did _not_ like being told what to do, but Koushi was already moving on, facing Daichi and offering a hand.

Daichi took the hand and Koushi pulled him to his feet.

“Excuse us, Ms. Tobe,” he said and moved past her, dragging Daichi with him.

Ms. Tobe didn’t attempt to stop them.

When they were a good distance away, joining Tetsurou at the far end of the stretcher, Koushi muttered,

“I hate that bitch.”

“Is she your boss?” Daichi asked.

“Yes and no. Is she a higher rank than me? Yes. Is she directly in charge of me? No.” He sighed and slicked his hands through his wet hair, pushing it back from his forehead. “She deals with the aquarium’s money and expenses. And she’s a total cheapass. So much of our equipment is old and needs replaced but noooooo, that’s not in our buuuudget.” He clicked his tongue. “Bitch.”

Tetsurou snorted. “The other day, she asked me if I could feed the otters less. Seriously? She wants me to _ration_ our rescue otters' food? Haven’t they suffered enough?”

“Super crazy how we don’t have enough money in the budget for shit we need like food and medicine and working machines but Ms. Tobe had enough money in her bank account for that shiny new _Bentley_ parked out back,” Koushi muttered, throwing a glare over his shoulder to where the woman was leaving the room.

“Meanwhile, I’ve been stuffing dollars in my piggy bank to save up for the new Playstation,” Tetsurou said with a sniffle.

Koushi straightened and moved around Daichi.

“Okay, here she comes! Hitoka!”

Daichi moved back out of the way as the aquarists snapped to attention. He followed their stares over the water and caught sight of the massive, black shadow carving a path through the water in their direction.

The little blonde who had been giving the tour earlier rushed to the edge of the pool with a scoop on the end of a long stick. She dangled the scoop in front of the shadow and guided it closer and closer to the side of the tank. As it passed over the stretcher, she dipped the scoop into the water and the enormous manta ray opened its mouth to gulp down the food that floated from it.

“Now!” Koushi said and suddenly the roar of machinery vibrated through the air and the stretcher rose.

Koushi, Koutarou, and Tetsurou all dropped into the water in perfect unison and swam up and into the stretcher as it lifted the manta ray to the surface of the water, leaving it fully immersed but unable to wiggle free. Several other aquarists climbed into the water and joined them in the stretcher, flanking the manta ray.

Daichi stared at the creature in awe.

She was… huge.

No, not huge.

Gigantic.

The aquarists looked tiny in comparison, like mere dolls bobbing in the water next to such a massive animal.

Her skin was jet black, save for the flashes of white from her underbelly and mouth. She was wide and flat and looked like something from outer space, truly out of this world.

Koushi was calling out commands and directing the aquarists, calling for the inflated boat to be added to the water. Kiyoko climbed the ladder down into the water next to the boat and held it steady as several people stepped inside, immediately opening up tool boxes and clicking pens.

Everyone buzzed about, measuring Iris’ wingspan and length. Koushi and Kiyoko floated next to her hindquarters and drew blood, passing vials to the people in the boat.

It was almost entrancing, watching these humans as they worked with confidence. They never faltered from their duty, gentle as they handled the manta.

This world was so interesting and amazing and Daichi couldn’t believe that he had never thought about what went on behind the scenes.

What interesting things happened at the museum at which he worked? Things that he hadn’t noticed or experienced because he was just a security guard?

He didn’t know.

Maybe he’d try to find out someday.

Eventually, Koushi ducked underwater and swam beneath the stretcher to the front where Koutarou sat. He spoke to him momentarily, reaching out to smooth a hand over Iris’ head, and then turned and met Daichi’s eyes.

A bright smile stretched his mouth wide and he waved at him.

“Okay! Come on in!”

Daichi’s heart leapt with sudden anxiety. He peered down into the water, catching glimpses of other sea creatures swimming leisurely beneath them, curious about what they were doing but otherwise minding their own business.

It was nerve wracking, thinking of stepping off of land and into that world, but Daichi was excited to give it a try.

He carefully climbed down the ladder and into the water, jolting slightly at the feeling of being surrounded. After giving himself a few seconds to get used to it, he turned and swam slowly in Koushi’s direction.

Koushi helped him up onto the stretcher and he was suddenly faced with the manta, immediately overwhelmed by its sheer size.

“Holy fuck,” he gasped.

Koushi giggled and took his wrist. “Go on, pet her.”

Daichi allowed him to guide his hand to Iris’ head, spreading his fingers over the smooth, black skin.

“Shit,” he whispered. “ _Jesus_.”

Koushi let out a laugh. “Wow, you’re stunned, huh?”

“I’ve never…” Daichi gulped. “I’ve never done something like this.”

“Hmm… isn’t it fun?”

Daichi glanced up into Koushi’s smiling face. His cheeks and nose were flushed pink, his hair swept back from his forehead. He looked cute and charming and water was dripping down his skin, glistening in the light of the room.

_Ahh… help._

Daichi looked back to Iris. “Ye-yeah. It is.” He petted over her wide head and down over her fin, eyeing the massive horn-like fins at the front of her face, on either side of her large, gaping mouth. “Tell me about her,” he said.

“Okay. Well… this is Iris. These things right here,” he gripped one of the fins on either side of her mouth. “Are called cephalic fins. They help funnel plankton into her mouth. Iris is around three thousand pounds and her wingspan is twenty-four feet. Oh, fun fact, manta rays have big brains! Really big brains, honestly.”

Daichi listened to him ramble off, petting Iris in awe. He felt transported back in time twenty years, giddy and excited as a child experiencing something awesome for the first time.

He couldn’t wait to call his dad, tell him all about it.

Couldn’t wait to brag to his coworkers that he had had an incredible and one of a kind day off because of his incredible and one of a kind roommate.

And even if all his luck was being used up now, in one fell swoop, it didn't matter.

If all his life's accumulated luck amounted to just this, meeting Koushi Sugawara and being sucked into the swirling, deep blue vastness of his world...

Well.

Daichi didn't mind.

Not one little bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One day I will look back on this fic and be like... "man i shoulda edited that."  
> But it is not today
> 
> So there's day two! It was supposed to use both prompts but I decided that it'd be more fun for the museum part to come later on in the fic instead so it's just aquarium for today.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! I appreciate it so much!
> 
> [drop in the ocean Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4akQJRtF0tUf2UPd6AjnzD?si=4TEZMZY3SkmdDRDjLZVe5w)  
> Come yell at me on [Tumblr.](https://mooifyourecows.tumblr.com/) or [Twitter!](https://twitter.com/mooifyourecows)
> 
> Next Time:  
> A very good fish owner


	3. Something drastic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nefarious impulses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daisuga Week prompt: Mythology and Crime
> 
> Mood:  
> [You Don't Wanna Feed the Fire Anymore](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TDMtIvM3BA)  
> "I tried my hardest, can’t make it ok  
> Flat on my back and I feel so ashamed, no  
> We talk anyway  
> And still won’t hang up when there’s nothing to say  
> Holding my breath and you’re so far away"

_“Asahi wants to know why you’re ignoring his calls.”_

Koushi wiggled his shorts up to his hips and tugged on the hem, which didn’t even reach a quarter of the way down his thighs.

“Hey Ryuu, remember those shorts I had back in high school that got me sent home?”

_“Uhm… the booty shorts that your ass literally hung out of? Yeah. What about them?”_

“They still fit. And I’m about to do some sweaty, sexy yoga in the living room.”

_“What’s that got to do with—”_

“Daichi is going to see and get all flustered and I’ll be one step closer to seducing him.” Koushi chuckled evilly and squatted down low.

_“Oh? You think you’ve gotten good enough at yoga to do anything other than embarrass yourself?”_

Koushi paused, staring across the bedroom.

“It’s not about being good,” he finally said. “It’s about being _confident_. And if there’s one thing I have it’s a healthy level of—”

_“Delusion.”_

“—confidence.” He clicked his tongue. “Shut up. I’ve made good progress these past couple weeks, you know? We’ve been drinking coffee together every morning, which is a pain, you know, since he wakes up at the ass crack of dawn _every fucking day._ ” He groaned and flopped over on the rug, legs popping up to rest over the side of his bed. “But it’s worth it because he’s super cute when he’s sleepy and he doesn’t wear a shirt and his hair is all messy and he always has a little bit of scruff and his voice is really low and sexy and—”

_“I get it.”_

“You don’t,” Koushi countered. “You couldn’t possibly get it unless you were me and got to experience it every morning. He also helps me feed the fish and it’s so cute because sometimes I catch him just staring at them and—”

_“Why haven’t you answered Asahi’s calls?”_

Koushi clicked his tongue again and rolled to his feet. “He calls like four times a day. It’s annoying. He’s supposed to be enjoying himself on his trip but instead he’s wasting time trying to talk to me. Poor Noya. He must feel like the third wheel on his _own_ gaycation.”

_“He calls four times a day because you don’t answer. C’mon. You know he worries.”_

“He shouldn’t.” Koushi fetched his yoga mat from his closet and bumped the door shut with his hip. “I’m fine. I’m enjoying my new place and I’m trying to get into my roommate’s pants and I’m living my best life.”

_“Honestly, I find it a little concerning that you’re trying to seduce your roommate.”_

“Blasphemy.”

_“What if you guys have a falling out?”_

“That’s a possibility regardless of whether or not we boink.” Koushi stopped by his floor length mirror and examined his appearance.

_“Don’t say boink.”_

“Boink.”

 _“Koushi…”_ Ryuu sighed and Koushi flinched, knowing exactly what usually followed a sigh that heavy. _“Are you sure you’re okay?”_

Koushi’s nose scrunched. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

_“It’s just… we know how you get. Change is… hard. And when it piles on like this… I mean… you remember what happened last time—”_

“Oh my god, you guys worry too fucking much.” Koushi turned away from the mirror. “I’m not a little kid. I’m not going to take my skateboard out to the quarry and break my leg at the bottom and make you carry me all the way back up so you can get service on your cell phone to call an ambulance.”

 _“The fact that you have super specific examples like that to use is_ so _not comforting. Saeko kicked my ass so hard for that, you know?”_

“The point is,” Koushi went to the door of his room and pulled it open, “I’m not a little kid anymore, flushing my meds down the toilet when nobody’s looking because I hate the taste.”

_“Yeah…”_

“Now I flush them down the toilet because I’m an adult and I do what I want.”

_“Koushi.”_

Koushi laughed and carried his mat to the center of the room. “I’m kidding!” He used a foot to push the coffee table out of the way and tossed the mat down. “I’m not stupid. Now I sell them to the guy with the hook hand that hangs out behind the aquarium.”

_“I swear to god—”_

“Ryuu. I’m fully medicated. Not that it’s any of your business,” Koushi interrupted. “I take ‘em every day. Right after dinner. _Not that it’s any of your business_. And in case you were wondering, no it totally _doesn’t_ make me feel like a little kid that you guys don’t trust me to take care of myself for a few weeks without Asahi’s constant mothering.” He used his toes to unroll the mat, irritation making his movements jerky and more forceful than necessary. “I’m _fine_. Okay?”

Ryuu didn’t reply for a few seconds and Koushi paused to squeeze his eyes shut and pinch the bridge of his nose.

_C’mon._

_C’mon._

_Knock it off._

_“Sorry,”_ Ryuu said. _“You’re right. You’re a big boy and can handle yourself. We don’t mean to make you feel bad.”_

“Hm.” Koushi sat on the couch and lowered his eyes to the floor.

_“Sorry. If you say everything is alright, then I believe you. Just do me a favor and at least text Asahi? Just tell him you’re ignoring him so he gives his attention to Noya or something. You know best how to guilt trip him.”_

A small smile touched Koushi’s lips. “Yeah, I’m a pro. I’ll lie and say Noya texted me and threatened to beat me up when they get home if I don’t stop stealing Asahi’s love and attention from him.”

Ryuu chuckled. _“Good idea. Alright. Well, I’m heading out for the night so I’ll talk to you later, okay?”_

Koushi perked. “Ah, don’t forget to send me—”

_“Yeah, yeah I’ll do it when I get home.”_

“Thanks.”

_“Hmhm, good luck seducing your landlord.”_

“I won’t need it, but thanks anyway.”

They ended the call and Koushi set the phone to the side, momentarily scrubbing at his face.

_It’s over._

_Forget about it._

With a groan, he jumped back up to his feet and started stretching, lifting his arms high above his head.

Whatever. He wouldn’t think about it. Ryuu and Asahi worrying too much about him was just a thing that happened. It had been happening since they were kids and it would continue to happen for the rest of their lives. There was no avoiding their pestering and mothering. Even with Asahi in another country, far, far away from him, he found a way to concern himself with Koushi’s current affairs.

_I’m fine._

_I am._

He was.

So what if he splurged on another aquarium and got evicted from his apartment? It was bound to happen. Eventually, his landlord was going to notice that he had broken their contract. It was only a matter of time before he was found out and buying that new aquarium and getting more, so much more, fish to fill it was just the straw that broke the camel’s back.

There was nothing dangerously impulsive or spontaneous about it.

Everyone just liked to overreact.

That was all.

Once he was all stretched out, Koushi stood on his yoga mat and contemplated just which position he should be in when Daichi came home from work. A quick check of the clock told him that it would be soon. That morning he had mentioned that he got off at nine, and it was ten past.

Ryuu had talked too long.

Now Koushi couldn’t even google _sexiest yoga positions_ and pick the best one to show off his assets for when Daichi walked through the door.

Oh well.

He’d just do downward facing dog.

When in doubt… ass.

Koushi sunk to his knees on the mat and dug his toes in. He flattened his palms in front of him and pushed up, straightening his legs and back, ass in the air.

_Oof._

Five seconds in and his arms were already trembling.

Why?

Why?

He wasn’t such a lightweight that he couldn’t even do thi—

Oh.

Come to think of it, it was nine p.m., wasn’t it?

Koushi had been alone all day and just what had he done?

He fed the fish. He played with Munchie. He lurked around the back yard and scoped out areas he would dig a pond if Daichi let him. He reorganized his bookshelf in descending order of his favorites. He snooped through Daichi’s DVD cabinet and then organized it with movies he hadn’t seen at the top and ones he had on the bottom. He did maintenance on the large saltwater aquarium’s filtration system and protein skimmer.

He broke a mug.

But in all the time he spent there alone, he hadn’t eaten.

He hadn’t even had a sip of liquid beyond the coffee he shared with Daichi that morning.

Oh.

That was why.

How strange was the body? Not a single moment had his hunger or thirst crossed his mind until now.

But now that the thought was in his head... it was crippling.

_So hungry..._

The brain was so powerful.

Because now the prospect of holding his position seemed downright impossible. His arms shook and his head spun and ahhhh damn it.

Damn it.

A click across the room drew his attention and he held his breath, staring down at the green mat under his hands. Following the click was a squeak of the door opening, and then the _thud_ of it shutting again.

_He’s back!_

_Okay… okay… just hold it a little longer._

Koushi let out a long, slow breath, listening to the footsteps that tracked into the house, closer, and closer… and then stopped.

He waited, but no voice came. Instead, there was only silence, save for the blood rushing in Koushi’s ears.

Finally, when his arms were crying out to him for mercy, Koushi dropped his head down lower and peeked through the gap in his legs.

Daichi stood watching him a short distance away, eyes wide, face flushed dark red.

_Haha, easy peasy._

“Welcome home,” Koushi said sweetly.

Daichi seemed to snap back into himself, entire body twitching at the sound of Koushi’s voice. His eyelids fluttered rapidly and he jerked his head to the side so quick, Koushi momentarily feared he might actually give himself whiplash.

“Tha-thank you,” Daichi stammered and Koushi grinned.

He was going to imagine the thanks were for the view, rather than the welcome.

Koushi lowered onto his knees on the mat, much to his body’s relief, and sat on his heels.

“How was work?” he asked cheerfully as Daichi wandered off into the kitchen. Koushi scampered to his feet and followed, tucking hair over his ears and glancing down at the front of his sleeveless shirt to be sure it fell in a flattering way, showing just the tiniest strip of skin over the hem of the tiny shorts.

“Uhm…” Daichi’s voice was rough and he cleared his throat, pulling his wallet out of the back pocket of his slacks and setting it on the counter as he passed it on his way to the refrigerator. “It was good. Uneventful.”

“Oh? You mean there were no attempts by artifact thieves to sneak in and rob the museum?” Koushi teased.

Daichi chuckled. “No, unfortunately not.”

“That’s a shame.”

Daichi peered inside the refrigerator for a moment and then shut it once more.

“Are you hungry?” he asked, facing Koushi.

The reminder of food made him suddenly weak, and his legs gave out from beneath him. A squeak escaped his mouth as he went down.

“Whoa!” Daichi lunged forward and caught him around the waist, strong arms locking tight and holding him close to his chest. “Are you okay?”

_Ahhhh, embarrassing._

Koushi wanted to melt into the floor.

Embarrassing.

Or… an opportunity?

“Sorry,” he said, peering up into Daichi’s face from under his lashes.

Daichi didn’t reply at first, wide eyes staring back down at him as his mouth flapped.

And his arms were so warm and hard where they held him.

_Kiss him._

_Seduce, seduce, seduce, seduce—_

“Did you overexert yourself when working out?” Daichi asked, interrupting the impulsive thoughts. “Here.” One of his arms slid away and he suddenly scooped him up off of his feet. He carried him across the kitchen and used his foot to nudge a stool away from the side of the island. He set Koushi down on the stool and released him, just to press one of his hands against his forehead. “Hmm… you’re a little warm. Are you feeling sick?”

This time Koushi was the one getting whiplash. Daichi was suddenly attentive and focused, all sense of bashfulness gone from his face and his touch. Koushi’s confidence and urge to be flirty and charming eased back under the weight of his concerned stare and gentle hands.

_Ohhhh no._

This wasn’t good. He felt tiny and weak and vulnerable and his hunger and dehydration faded back, replaced with guilt and shame and the sudden need to call Asahi and apologize and ask him what he was supposed to do because…

Because...

“I’m hungry,” Koushi said, voice weak. “I haven’t eaten today. Sorry.”

Daichi looked confused. “Why are you apologizing?”

“I don’t know.”

He straightened and pulled his cell phone from the pocket of his slacks. “I’ll order something to eat. What are you in the mood for? Pizza? Burritos?”

“… pizza is fine. I’ll… pay for my half—”

Daichi waved a hand at him and crossed the kitchen. “My treat. You paid for the last one. What kind do you want?”

“I’m okay with whatever,” Koushi turned on the stool and watched him.

“Supreme?”

“Sure…”

“Alright. I’m going to change clothes and order it in. Don’t move.”

Daichi disappeared into his bedroom and the door shut softly behind him.

Koushi slumped over the kitchen island.

_Damn it._

Just a few weeks in and he’d already made a fool out of himself. How could he forget to eat? That was _level one_ of being a human.

Eat and drink.

Every day.

Why was that so hard?

Koushi scrubbed at his face with a groan.

Eat and drink.

He opened his eyes and let them drift into the living room. In the freshwater aquarium, Moose was swimming along the bottom, pestering the stingrays.

Koushi should feed the fish.

He slid off of his stool and went to the refrigerator. His body moved through the practiced motions of collecting the food on the counter and cutting the filets into chunks. Fish needed to eat. And while Koushi wasn’t a very good human, forgetting to feed and water himself and take showers sometimes, he _was_ a good fish owner.

And fish needed to eat.

Mimi and Baker were up to their usual shenanigans, fighting over the brine shrimp that Koushi squirted into the small saltwater aquarium. Lemonhead was too busy gobbling up as much food as he could get to keep them in line.

Koushi tutted. “Now, now, why can’t you get along?” he murmured. “One of these days, one of you will die, and then what? The one left behind will be so sad.”

So… sad.

Eventually, everything had to die.

Everything had to leave.

Someday, every single one of the fish in each of these tanks would leave Koushi. He chewed on his bottom lip and moved to the freshwater tank. Moose spotted him and swam immediately to the glass directly in front of his face, and Koushi’s heart strained.

“Someday you’ll leave me,” he whispered, lifting a handful of fish chunks over the tank. “Someday you’ll have to leave and I’ll be alone and then what?”

Moose swept up to the top of the aquarium to snatch some pieces of fish while the discus and stingrays did the same. Icky poked out of the log in the corner and Koushi dropped some fish for him, coaxing him out of his hiding spot.

“You’ll leave and Mr. Slinks will leave and Munchie…” Koushi’s chest hurt. His eyes stung.

Everything left, eventually. Nothing was permanent. None of these relationships that Koushi built would last forever and he’d be left behind to pick up the pieces while they moved on and they left and…

“Hey, I told you not to move.”

Koushi ducked his head to hide the tear tracks down his cheeks as Daichi emerged from his bedroom.

“Fish gotta eat,” he mumbled and moved to the large saltwater aquarium, putting his back to Daichi.

“Yeah, so do you. And you just almost collapsed in the kitchen. You should sit down.”

“I’m okay,” Koushi said. “Thanks, Daichi.”

“Here, let me do that. You go sit down.”

He felt a touch on his shoulder, and then Daichi was taking the plate of fish from him.

“Go on and…” he dwindled out and then fingers gripped Koushi’s chin and tilted his face up. He reluctantly met Daichi’s eyes with a sniffle. “Why are you crying?” he asked, voice gentle.

Koushi looked away. “I was just thinkin’… it’s gonna suck. When they leave me.”

“They?”

“The average lifespan of the common octopus is only three to five years,” Koushi said, tears flowing faster. “I got Munchie when he was a baby _two years_ ago. He’s _two years old_ and only estimated to live between three to five years. He could _die_ next year and that’s it. Then what? I just… get another one? I can’t ever get another Munchie. He’s special. Moose is special. _Echo_ is special, the _most_ special. One of a kind. I’ll never ever meet another tiger shark like her and what am I supposed to do when she’s gone?”

His chest shuddered with a sob and he squeezed his eyes shut.

“Hey, why are you thinking about that stuff right now? Didn’t you say tiger sharks live for like fifteen years? You've got so much time before Echo passes!”

“No! That’s not how it works!” Koushi looked at him through his tears. “The aquarium’s purpose is to rehabilitate sick or injured aquatic animals! Once they’re fit to return to the ocean, we _release them_!” He lifted a hand and pressed the back of his wrist into his eyes. “So I don’t even get fifteen years! As soon as Kiyoko signs off on her forms and her boss approves them, Echo is going back into the ocean!”

“Hey…” Daichi tugged on his arm, pulling his wrist away. “Listen to me. This is what we’re going to do.”

Koushi sniffled and struggled to meet his eyes.

Daichi wiped tears from his cheek. “You’re gonna go wash your hands and then sit your ass down on the couch. I’m gonna finish feeding the fish.” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder at the saltwater tank. “Then I’m gonna sit with you and you’re gonna get all this?” He gestured at Koushi’s face. “Out. You’re gonna purge whatever bad feelings your feeling right now and then the pizza is gonna be here and we’re gonna stuff our faces. And it’s gonna be really fuckin’ cathartic.”

A weak laugh burst from Koushi’s chest and Daichi dried some more of his tears.

“Deal?”

Koushi gulped and nodded. “Okay… deal.”

“Alright. Get to it.” Daichi nudged him and Koushi followed his instruction.

After washing his hands in the kitchen, he stumbled into the living room and sank onto Daichi’s comfortable couch, immediately hugging his knees to his chest. Daichi fed the fish the rest of the food Koushi had prepared for them and then went to the kitchen to wash up.

Before joining him on the couch, he rolled up the yoga mat and set it aside to make room for the coffee table again. A deep sigh fled his mouth as he finally sat next to him, stretching his legs out.

“Alright,” he said, shifting to face Koushi. “So… tell me.”

Koushi rubbed his eyes. “Tell you what?”

“Everything.” A soft touch against the side of his head, brushing his hair back, sent shivers shooting down his spine. “What you’re feeling. What you’re scared of. Anything you need to get out in the air. Let’s hear it.”

Koushi lowered his fingers from his eyes and stared across the room.

They sat in silence for long moments as Koushi waffled over what words he wanted to say.

What _could_ he say? There was so much… _so much_ bothering him at the moment that he didn’t think he could get through it in one sitting.

And even if he did, what would Daichi think of him? He couldn’t chase him off so soon. What a waste. He couldn’t possibly want to know how Koushi was _bad_ and everything was _bad_ and he _knew_ he was bad but couldn’t do anything to be _less_ bad.

Daichi’s warm hand rested on his shoulder and Koushi finally drew in a trembling breath.

“I’ve been working at the aquarium since I was eighteen,” he said. “And I’ve had to do it before. Say goodbye. I’ve tried to see it as something happy. These are wild animals. They _belong_ in the ocean. They’ll thrive out there.” He rested his chin on his knees. “It would be selfish to want to keep them. I know that. But I still… _want to keep them_.”

Daichi’s fingers squeezed his shoulder. “And what’s wrong with that?”

“Because… because they belong out in the—”

“I mean _wanting_.”

Koushi met Daichi’s eyes.

“You’re not preventing them from being free, are you?” he said, expression soft. “You just _want_ to keep them in your life. And there’s nothing wrong with wanting something like that. It doesn’t hurt anybody for you to want. And you can’t just turn something like that off in your brain. You’re allowed to feel the way you feel because in the end, you’re still _doing_ the right thing, aren’t you?”

Koushi sniffled. “I guess…”

Daichi smiled. “I know I don’t know a lot about this stuff. About you or the animals that you’ve grown attached to at that aquarium. But I know that as lucky as you are to have been able to know Echo and the others, they are equally as lucky to have been able to know you. And they’re going to go back to the wild as some of the luckiest fish in the sea.” He reached up and brushed tears from Koushi’s cheek. “Isn’t that amazing?”

Koushi’s chin wobbled and he gulped. “Ye-yeah. I guess so.” He glanced down at Daichi’s chest. It looked so open and wide and warm, so exactly what Koushi wanted to bury his face into at the moment.

And well, Daichi was being indulgent, even though they had only been roommates for a few short weeks and there was no reason for him to be so kind to Koushi, who was _bad_. So he went ahead and sunk against Daichi’s chest, resting his head on his shoulder and gripping his shirt tight.

For a moment, Daichi didn’t move, but then his arms circled Koushi and pulled him closer and ohh, Koushi had made a good decision because the hug was absolutely euphoric.

It was so nice, in fact, that he was content to just stay there for the next few minutes until the doorbell was ringing and Daichi was excusing himself from the couch.

If Koushi wasn’t starving, he would protest, but instead, he allowed Daichi to leave and sat back with a huff. The smell of the pizza that filled the room when Daichi returned was enough to calm his irritation and his mouth instantly salivated.

“Alright, let’s dig in,” Daichi said, placing the pizza on the coffee table and opening the box to free more of the smell. Koushi moaned and scooted to the edge of the couch, hands out and fingers flapping. Daichi chuckled and selected a slice to pass over to him, asking, “Want something to drink?”

Koushi took a massive bite and then mumbled through his chewing, “Milk.”

Daichi paused and threw him an incredulous look. “ _Milk?_ ”

Koushi nodded. “You gotta drink milk with pizza, Daichi.”

“No the fuck you don’t. Milk with pizza? Are you a serial killer?”

He giggled and prodded the side of his thigh with his toes. “Have you ever tried it? Drinking a tall glass of cold milk with some hot pizza?”

“No because I’m not a serial killer.”

“Then don’t diss on it! Try it first!”

Daichi gave him a wary look and stood. “I will try a _small_ glass of cold milk but my expectations are six feet under.”

Koushi grinned and continued to wolf down the slice of pizza as Daichi fetched them milk and plates. When he returned to the living room, Koushi popped to his feet and rushed off to the kitchen to also fetch sour cream and ranch dressing from the refrigerator. Daichi’s expression looked offended as he caught sight of what he had upon returning to the couch.

“Koushi,” he said, voice warning.

“Have you _tried_ it?” Koushi asked, setting both containers down on the table next to his plate.

“No because—”

“Then don’t knock it!”

Koushi grabbed another slice of pizza and set it on his plate before popping open the sour cream and squeezing a dollop onto the slice.

“So _that’s_ why you buy the stuff in the tube,” Daichi muttered.

“It’s also good for tacos and burritos,” Koushi said happily. “Why dirty a spoon when you can squirt it out in a perfect line from the squeeze bottle?”

Daichi chuckled.

Koushi lifted the slice up and turned towards Daichi. “Here, have a bite.”

His eyes widened and his cheeks reddened.

Without complaint, he leaned forward and bit off the point of the slice, sour cream and all. Koushi watched as he chewed and then swallowed, redness spreading across his cheeks to the shell of his ears poking out from his short black hair.

“Well?” Koushi said.

Daichi cleared his throat and looked away. “Okay. It’s kinda good.”

Koushi grinned and quickly put ranch on the pizza next. “Here, try this now.”

Daichi took a bite, nose scrunching.

“I’m not a fan of that one,” he mumbled.

“Yeah, okay I feel you. It’s better on cheese pizza,” Koushi admitted. “Or just regular pepperoni. Supreme is better with the sour cream.” He pointed at the short glass of milk setting on the table next to Daichi’s plate. “Now try the milk.”

Daichi rolled his eyes and lifted the glass. “I have _zero_ hope for this.”

“Hush, baby.”

Koushi watched close as Daichi sipped the milk and then slowly lowered the glass to the table, not looking at him.

“Well?” Koushi pressed after seconds of silence.

“Okay,” Daichi grumbled. “It’s… not terrible.”

Koushi laughed and scooted closer to him to bump his shoulder with his. “You like it! Admit it! Milk goes great with pizza! Admit it!”

Daichi huffed and grabbed a slice. “ _Fine._ It’s good. But it’s _weird._ Who the hell drinks milk with pizza?”

“Me!” Koushi took a happy bite of his slice, only allowing himself a tiny scrap of giddiness over the thought of the indirect kiss.

“Serial killer,” Daichi said and reached for the sour cream. “I should have asked you these things before agreeing to rent to you. Next time I’ll remember that. _Do you drink milk with pizza? Do you use sour cream and ranch with pizza? Oh, you do? Sorry, I’m gonna keep looking then._ ”

“ _Next time?_ ” Koushi scoffed. “You think you’re ever getting rid of me? Think again, Daichi. You never shoulda let me into your home. I’m like a poltergeist. Invite me in and I’m here forever.”

Daichi was silent as Koushi took another bite, savoring the burst of flavor as it filled his mouth.

“Okay,” Daichi finally mumbled and Koushi looked at him. “That’s fine with me.”

Koushi’s pulse sped and he looked away to hide his blush and helpless smile.

Now Daichi had really done it.

There was no way he was getting rid of Koushi now.

* * *

“Okay but it’s true that they have to swim constantly or they’ll die, right?”

Koushi shook his head. “No, no. That’s a myth. Well, partial myth. Some sharks can stay still by pumping their pharynx to get water moving through their respiratory system. Didn’t you see how I was able to get Echo to stay still?”

“Ohh, right, right.” Daichi lifted his spoon and popped a clump of vanilla ice cream into his mouth.

Koushi watched him as he stirred his own ice cream, small smile on his lips.

“Okay,” Daichi looked at him. “But do they have a crazy sense of smell? Like don’t people say that they can smell a drop of blood from anywhere in the ocean?”

Koushi chuckled. “Well, that’s a bit of an exaggeration. They _do_ have a crazy sense of smell, but it’s not THAT good. They’re all different but let’s see… It’s usually about… hmmm one drop per ten billion?”

Daichi blinked at him. “That… sounds like a lot.”

“It’s about the size of an Olympic swimming pool,” Koushi said. “Some can detect prey better, some worse. But that’s a good middle ground.”

“So if I go out in the ocean and get a little cut, I’m not going to get swarmed?”

Koushi scrunched his nose. “Of course not. _That’s_ a myth. Sharks don’t _want_ to eat humans. Most shark attacks happen because they mistake humans for sea lions in murky water or they’re acting in self-defense against shitty bastards that harass them.”

“You mean _Jaws_ lied to me?”

“ _Ugh_ , don’t get me started on _Jaws_. Do you even realize the huge disservice that movie did to sharks?” Koushi clicked his tongue and brought his legs up to his chest, balancing his bowl of ice cream on his knees. “Nobody hated or were scared of sharks before that movie came out. If I ever meet Steven Spielberg, I’m gonna twist his nuts right off his body and hacky sack them into the stratosphere.”

Daichi sputtered.

“That’s why it’s good that the aquarium hired me,” Koushi said, lifting his chin. “When people see me diving and playing with the sharks, they see that they’re not evil man-eating creatures that everyone should be scared of. And the more people who care about them, the more we can protect them. Hey, Daichi, did you know that shark-fin soup tastes like _nothing_?” His eyes narrowed, lips twitching. “Poachers slice the fins from sharks and dump their bodies in the ocean where they drown or bleed to death or get eaten by other predators and then they make bland, tasteless soup and sell it for hundreds of dollars per bowl.” He grumbled and shoved a spoonful into his mouth. “I’ll _kill_ them.”

“I’ll drive the getaway car,” Daichi said. “We can be partners in crime.”

Koushi glanced at him, anger fading back. “You’d risk prison time with me?”

“Sure.” Daichi shrugged. “If it’s for a good cause.”

Koushi smiled and stared down into his bowl. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

They ate in silence for a few seconds before Daichi spoke again.

“Okay. So… tell me about Echo. Like, why did you name her Echo?”

“Well… Echo, in Greek mythology, was a nymph cursed by Hera to only be able to speak the last words spoken to her,” he said. “When Echo first started showing up to my dive spot out in the ocean, she loved to copy me. I noticed and tried to train her to do everything I did, little swimming tricks and what not. But she could only remember the last few seconds of movement that she saw.” He leaned forward to set his empty bowl on the coffee table. “It just kinda fit perfectly.”

“Hmm.” Daichi did the same and then leaned back, stretching his legs out. “Seems like she can remember more than just a few seconds now.”

Koushi chuckled. “Yeah, she grew out of her name I guess. She still copies though, so it’s not a _total_ mismatch.”

Koushi and Daichi sat on the couch, talking, until they were both struggling to keep their eyes open. Neither seemed to want to go to bed, but in the end Daichi finally made the decision for both of them.

“I have another long day tomorrow,” he mumbled, voice rough with exhaustion.

Koushi yawned and rubbed his eyes. “Me too…”

“Guess we should go to sleep then.”

Koushi groaned in protest, but Daichi wasn’t swayed by his whining.

“Yeah, yeah, you wanna stay up. Listen, you’re a big boy, you can do what you want. But _I’m_ going to bed.”

Koushi complained louder and latched onto his arm when he climbed to his feet. “Staaaaaaay.”

Daichi chuckled and pried his fingers off of him. “Can’t. Gotta sleep.”

“But I wanna hang out with youuuuu.”

Daichi’s cheeks went pink again and he cleared his throat. “Well. We will have to try to get the same days off then.” He hesitated before adding in a low voice, “Unless you just wanna _sleep_ with me?”

Koushi’s eyes widened and he prepared to accept the offer but Daichi didn’t give him the chance.

“Just kidding!” he blurted out, waving his hands back and forth. “Just kidding! Ha ha… ignore that. Pretend I never said that.”

Koushi pouted his lips. “Hmm too bad.”

Daichi turned quickly away, but Koushi caught the look on his face before he did.

_Haha… adorable._

“Right. Good night then.”

Daichi rushed off towards his bedroom and Koushi let out a sigh.

_Too bad._

Next time he’d get him to make the same offer and _not_ retract it.

Next time.

For now though, he’d have to settle with what he had been given.

Some much needed TLC and pizza, all cuddled up on the couch.

It was a victory, as far as he was concerned. They were almost like… boyfriends.

Koushi wore a smile to his room where he quickly changed into a pair of pajama pants. He stuffed his pills into the pocket and then made his way to the bathroom.

After washing his face and brushing his teeth, he removed the bottle from his pocket and stared down at it.

His stomach twisted and he gulped, forcing his hands to twist the lid off and tap two pills onto the palm of his hand. He rolled them over his skin quietly for long seconds, heart hammering.

Things were going so well.

Koushi had accomplished so much over the past few weeks.

It had been fun and euphoric and exciting and sure, he had a low moment that day but it had _passed_ and all was well again. It was all well because Koushi was tingling from head to toe and he had so much energy and ideas floating around his head.

Ryuu would be sending him the list of rescues for that month soon and he had his eyes on a new tank and he had found the _perfect_ spot in the back yard for a pond- if Daichi allowed him to dig it- and Koushi was feeling good and tall and _high_ and…

He dropped the pills into the toilet and flushed, stuffing the bottle into his pocket.

Next week.

He’d start taking them again next week.

“Promise,” he whispered and left the bathroom. “Promise.”

* * *

“Thank you Koutarou!” Koushi called as Koutarou headed for the door out of the back room, waving over his head.

“Got him to do your chores?” Tetsurou asked as he fell into the chair next to Koushi’s at the table where he was munching on a bag of Funyuns.

Koushi hummed and offered him a chip, getting a scrunched nose and _blech_ sound in response.

“Ms. Tobe gave me a million things to do today,” he said. “She either hates me or thinks way too highly of me.”

“Definitely hates you,” Tetsurou said, propping his chin up in the palm of his hand. “The only thing that woman thinks highly of is cold hard cash.”

Koushi snorted. “You got that right.”

“Hey so, about that _guy_ you had with you the other day…” Tetsurou’s eyebrows wiggled. “What’s _that_ about? You two boning?”

“Not yet.”

“Oya?”

Koushi set the bag of chips to the side and twisted off the lid of his water bottle. “I’m workin’ on it. Makin’ good progress too. You should see how easy it is to get him blushing over me.” He smirked. “Piece of cake. Just wait, I’ll have a boyfriend by the end of this month.”

“Yeah, yeah, no need to rub it in.” Tetsurou reached over and punched his arm.

Koushi chuckled. “Oh, and he works at the museum right across the road. Maybe I can get him to set Koutarou up with that one cutie he always fawns over from the fine art section.”

“Hey, what about me?” Tetsurou pouted his lips.

“Not even God can get you a boyfriend, sorry.”

Koushi dodged a second punch, giggling.

“Koushi.”

The voice drew both of their attention in the direction of the door, where Kiyoko stood, hugging a clipboard to her chest. Her face was stoic, as usual, but her grey eyes bored into him with an intensity she usually reserved for people she was intimidating down from arguing with her authority.

“May I speak with you?”

Koushi slowly placed his water back on the table and stood. “Sure…” With a look thrown at Tetsurou, who cocked an eyebrow and shrugged in response, he headed across the room to meet Kiyoko at the door. She led the way into the quiet hallway beyond.

“Is something wrong?” Koushi asked, suddenly nervous.

Kiyoko rarely asked to speak with Koushi in such a serious manner. The fact that she didn’t want to speak in front of Tetsurou was suspicious and terrifying and he couldn’t shake the thought that he was somehow in trouble.

_What did I do?_

Did he forget to do a task she had asked of him? He swore he didn’t. But Ms. Tobe _had_ overloaded his plate that morning and it was a definite possibility that in his scrabbling to complete it all, he had shirked one or two little errands.

Kiyoko led him a short distance from the door and faced him.

“I understand how you feel,” she said, not meeting his eyes. “Trust me, I do.”

Koushi blinked. Before he could ask what she was referring to, she was speaking again.

“But I didn’t expect this from you. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed.”

Koushi’s eyebrows lowered. “What are you talking about?”

Kiyoko offered him the clipboard in her hands and he took it, glancing down at the paperwork clamped there.

“Koushi. I know you love her. But to change my report… to deny her the right to live a life she deserves… it’s unacceptable.”

He stared down at the page, noting Echo’s name and Kiyoko’s handwriting listing the results from the shark’s most recent check-up. At the bottom of the page, next to the question of whether or not she was ready for reintroduction to the wild, the box for _no_ was checked.

“You have to let her go someday,” Kiyoko said. “They’ve already signed off on this form so we have to keep her for now, but next check-up, I expect you to accept what I decide. Understand?”

_What?_

_Why…_

Why was Kiyoko accusing him? Koushi had… Koushi had nothing to do with this. He wouldn’t… he couldn’t…

Could he?

“That’s all I have to say,” Kiyoko said, but Koushi barely heard her through the rushing of blood in his ears.

Was it possible that he had done such a thing and forgotten it? He lifted a quivering hand to his head and pushed his palm against his temple, vision blurring.

How long had it been since he had taken his medication now? One week… one month… He couldn’t remember.

Did he really… to go so far as to…

By the time he focused again, Kiyoko was gone and he was alone in the hallway.

With a shuddering breath, he turned to go back to the break room, but paused, Tetsurou’s voice ringing in his head.

_“The only thing that woman thinks highly of is cold hard cash.”_

Koushi’s heel skidded against the floor and he whirled. His arms pumped as he rushed up the hall and around the corner. He didn’t slow until he was bursting through the door of her office, earning an irritated click of her tongue where she sat at her desk.

“Do you _mind_?” Ms. Tobe snapped.

Koushi strode up to the desk and threw the clipboard down in front of her.

“What do you think you’re _doing?_ ” He demanded, voice rough.

Ms. Tobe glanced down at the clipboard and sighed, turning her eyes back to her computer monitor.

“Don’t be dramatic,” she scolded. “I thought you’d be happy.”

“Why would this make me happy?” Koushi’s voice was rising, his temper flaring and heart pounding. He felt strung too tight, on the verge of snapping clean in half. “You can’t do this! If Kiyoko cleared her then—”

“Kiyoko doesn’t have her priorities straight,” Ms. Tobe said simply. “Everyone comes to see you and Echo do your little show. We can’t afford to lose that flow of income.” She tapped her keyboard, seemingly only paying half attention to the conversation. “It’s not that big of a deal. Just play along. You’ll get to keep your favorite fish and the aquarium can continue making money.” Her dark eyes darted in his direction. “The more money we make, the more animals we can help, right? Are you willing to risk the greater good for this _one_ fish?”

Koushi gritted his teeth and choked out, “You _can’t_ do this.”

Ms. Tobe sighed and leaned back in her chair, folding her hands over her stomach.

“I already did.”

For the next few seconds, they merely stared at each other. Koushi’s emotions were volatile, bubbling up inside and threatening to burst from his mouth. He wanted… to scream. To break things.

To do something drastic.

“The door is there, just behind you,” Ms. Tobe finally broke the silence, voice low with warning. “Would you like me to show you, or do you think you could figure it out on your own?”

Koushi sucked in a trembling breath and turned away.

“Oh. I’ll figure it out on my own.”

* * *

Daichi groaned and climbed out of his car. His back ached from standing around all day, wishing someone would attempt to steal something just so he wouldn’t be so goddamned bored on the job for _once._

Nobody had been so bold, though, and the day had been uneventful.

As usual.

God, he longed for some action. Some entertainment.

He didn’t care what it was, he just needed something to give a jolt of excitement to his life.

At least now that he was home, he could awkwardly flirt with Koushi and dream about having the courage to do more, close the gap between them and move their relationship beyond roommates and tentative friends.

If only he had the balls to do something like that.

 _Someday,_ he thought, slipping his key into the lock on the front door and twisting.

Someday he would make a move, when their relationship wasn’t so fresh and young.

He pushed open the door and entered the house, releasing another groan once he was finally inside, greeted by the soothing sounds of Koushi’s fish tanks, the gentle buzz and whir of filters and splashing of water.

Daichi could really get used to coming home every day to those sounds. In fact, he already was. He liked the occasional _glub_ of bubbles popping up to the surface. It felt organic, like living next to the beach and getting to hear the ocean waves at night, soothing him to sleep with their steady push and pull.

Maybe Daichi would ask Koushi to take him to the fish store, find himself a tank to put in his bedroom. It could be a date. Shopping for fish and listening to Koushi fill his head with fun facts and rambling information about every fish they passed…

Daichi never thought he’d be so giddy over an idea like that.

“I’m home,” Daichi called as he kicked his shoes off in the entrance. “Koushi, have you eaten? I know it’s late but I was thinking about making some…”

The words dwindled out and died on his tongue as he moved farther into the house, and his eyes drifted into the living room, where Koushi stood, waiting for him with a pale, anxious expression.

Daichi froze.

“Wha—”

His gaze fell on the large pool taking up most of the living room, where his couch had once been. He spotted the couch where it was now pushed up against the sliding glass door to the backyard, thick curtains pulled shut across them.

“Don’t freak out,” Koushi said, a little bit breathless, a little bit shaky.

As soon as he said it, Daichi watched a large, grey, dorsal fin carve through the water in the pool and a tail flicked, sending water splashing over the side and wetting the rug underneath.

“What did you do?” Daichi whispered, eyes wide.

Koushi let out a nervous laugh, but there was no humor on his face. His eyes filled with tears and he reached up and pressed his trembling palms to his temples, fingers knotting in his messy grey hair. His chin wobbled and he sniffled, brows wrinkling together.

“I think I stole a shark.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! Day 3 is done! We gettin into it now, folks
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone who has read and commented! Every day I think "oh, i should reply to those comments..." and then i FORGET and next thing I know i'm POSTING THE NEXT chapter and I swear to do it next time. Woe is me...
> 
> Anyway, I really appreciate every drop of feedback I get on this fic! It makes me super happy to see that people are enjoying it so far. I hope you all continue to like the story as the week goes by!
> 
> [drop in the ocean Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4akQJRtF0tUf2UPd6AjnzD?si=AmyTuq30SOutNRwXK_Utlg)  
> Come yell at me on [Tumblr.](https://mooifyourecows.tumblr.com/) or [Twitter!](https://twitter.com/mooifyourecows)
> 
> Next Time:  
> Worth it


	4. Partners in crime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damage control

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daisuga Week prompts: Salty and Sweet and Spicy
> 
> Mood:  
> [Dissolve](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe2FPP4lX14)  
> "This isn't what I signed up for  
> I just wanted you to watch me dissolve  
> Slowly  
> In a pool full of your love  
> But I don't even know how the chemistry works  
> When you're poolside  
> Kicking in the dirt  
> Kicking in the sand  
> And stirring up trouble"

Daichi’s dad was right.

He didn’t know what he was getting himself into when he foolishly went forward with buying a house.

He didn’t know what he was getting himself into, renting out his spare room to a guy he knew nothing about, just because he was cute and charming.

He didn’t know what he was getting himself into, walking into his foolishly purchased house and seeing his foolishly accepted roommate with a foolishly stolen shark in the living room.

“Koushi what have you done?” Daichi said as he stumbled into the living room to the side of the pool. The large tiger shark swam through the water, seemingly irritated with its cramped living space.

“I just… I just _took_ her,” Koushi said, voice trembling. He shook his hands out and paced the floor. “I pretended to go home but I stashed my scooter in the parking lot of that coffee place two blocks away and I walked back to the aquarium and I went in through the back, through the secret blindspot, and I deactivated the security cameras and I took her and… oh no.”

“ _How_ did you get her in here?” Daichi asked. “She’s gotta weigh—”

“Tetsurou and Koutarou helped me,” Koushi said, eyes glistening with tears. “They didn’t even ask questions. They just said _okay_ and helped me get her in the truck and steal the pool and get the water and it took forever to set her up in here and then they took the truck back so nobody would see it was missing and…”

“Koushi,” Daichi interrupted. He grabbed Koushi by the biceps and held him still. “Why did you do this? You can’t… you can’t just steal a shark! What the _fuck_ has come over you?”

“Ms. Tobe lied!”

Daichi blinked, taken aback by the sudden shout. Color was coming back to Koushi’s pale face and two tears slipped down from his wide eyes.

“She was going to keep her! She lied on her paperwork and said she wasn’t ready to be released but she is! Kiyoko signed off on her medical files and so she was supposed to be reintroduced to the ocean this month but Ms. Tobe doesn’t want to release her because our shows together are really popular and have been making so much money and—”

“Slow down, slow down,” Daichi commanded, giving his arms a gentle squeeze.

Koushi sucked in a shuddering breath and ducked his head.

“I want her to stay,” he whispered. “I want to keep her. But I know that I can’t. She needs to be free and I won’t let _anybody_ , not even myself, stop her from being where she belongs.”

Daichi’s heart ached and he glanced over at the pool. Echo made a slow circle through the water, looking a little less annoyed than when Daichi had first shown up. She moved leisurely, accepting her new, smaller environment for the time being.

And seeing her there, in a pool in the middle of Daichi’s living room, _so_ where she didn’t belong… Daichi found himself wishing to see her where she _did_.

Such a big and beautiful creature, wild by nature but tamed by care…

Daichi wanted to see her free.

“Okay,” he whispered, voice barely audible. “What do we do?”

Koushi’s head slowly lifted and Daichi met his bloodshot eyes.

“Huh?”

Daichi gulped and released his arms. He moved closer to the pool and gripped the edge of it, balancing his weight on it when his legs threatened to give out.

“How can I help?” he said. “How do we get her to the ocean?”

“You… want to help me?”

“It’s either that or report you to the police and I sure as fuck don’t want to do that,” Daichi said. “So come on. Tell me what to do and I’ll do it.”

Koushi sniffled. “Tha-thank you…”

“Hm.” Daichi straightened and moved around the pool, eyeing where it rested on the floor. “Why did you even bring her back here? Why didn’t you take her straight to the ocean?”

“I need to get a boat,” Koushi said. “Take her out far enough from the beach that she won’t wind up getting terrorized by people. My friend Noya has a boat but he’s currently not in the country. He’s coming back in the next few days though!”

Daichi looked at him, eyes wide. “The next few days? How long are we going to have her in here? Is she okay in this pool?”

“She’s okay,” Koushi insisted. “It’s smaller than she’s used to but I treated the water myself. It’s at a perfect twenty-two degrees Celsius and so long as she’s patient, everything will be fine. I stole some medetomidine with ketamine from the lab in case I need to sedate her but she’s a good girl and hasn’t seemed too distressed with being moved so I think we’re okay.”

Daichi rubbed his face.

“Alright. So… they’re going to notice she’s missing. What if the cops show up?”

“Ms. Tobe won’t want the cops involved,” Koushi said. “If they start snooping around, the aquarium will find out she’s forging documents and she’ll be fired. Which would defeat the whole purpose of her giving a fuck where Echo is in the first place. She’ll try to find her by herself instead.” He turned and rushed to the front of the house and Daichi heard the front door lock.

When he came back into the living room, he blew out a deep breath and shakily pushed his hair back from his forehead.

“We gotta keep the doors locked and the curtains pulled. Just for a few days. Until I can get Noya’s boat and take her out to the ocean. Koutarou and Tetsurou will help me. Ryuu and Kiyoko too, once I tell them.” His face paled and he paced the room. “But Ryuu will tell Asahi. And Asahi will freak out. And he’ll rush back here. And he’ll never want to leave again. Because he was right and I can’t be left alone because _this_ is what happens when I’m alone.”

“Hey, you’re not alone,” Daichi said, drawing his attention. “Partners in crime, remember?” He jerked a thumb against his chest.

Koushi sniffled and rubbed his nose.

“But… what if you get in trouble? All because of me.”

“That’ll only happen if we get caught. And we’re not gonna get caught.”

“But how do you know? I could be wrong. Maybe Ms. Tobe will care more about me going to jail than she will about getting caught forging documents. Maybe—”

“You can’t think like that—”

“This is all my fault. If I would have just taken my medicine like I was supposed to, I never woulda went manic and I never woulda stole a shark before I even had a boat. What was I thinking? If I took my meds, I’d have been able to think clearly, and I would've _waited_ to take her when Noya was in town. But _no_ , I had to _freak out_ and—”

“Koushi calm down—”

“I’m so _stupid_ and—”

A crash in the kitchen scared a jump out of Koushi and they both looked at where the cupboard was open, a tentacle retracting inside.

“ _Munchie!_ ” Koushi stomped his foot. “ _Read the fucking room!_ ”

Daichi pursed his lips and walked with Koushi into the kitchen to look at the shattered mug on the floor where Munchie had thrown it.

“That was my favorite mug,” Daichi murmured.

They were silent for long seconds.

And then a bubbling giggle burst from Koushi and Daichi grinned.

“Oh my god,” Koushi laughed and wiped tears from his cheeks. “I’m so sorry.”

Daichi laughed too and ruffled Koushi’s hair. “Don’t worry about it.” He crouched next to the mess and started picking up the larger shards of glass. “Don’t worry about anything. Have you eaten?”

“No…” Koushi went to the cupboard and wrestled Munchie out of it. The octopus immediately crawled up his arm to his shoulder, slapping a tentacle to his cheek and leaving it there.

“Okay,” Daichi said. “I’ll cook us something. Have you fed the fish?”

“No…”

“How about you do that while I cook? Then we can eat and brainstorm some ideas on what to do. Okay?”

Koushi was silent for a moment and Daichi glanced up at him.

Munchie had wrapped himself half around his neck, one tentacle still on his cheek, another tugging at and tangling up in his hair behind his ear. Koushi ignored him, like having an octopus attached to him was totally normal. Instead, he glanced at Daichi and then away, bashfully twiddling his thumbs in front of him.

“Something wrong?” Daichi asked.

Without warning, Koushi crouched down next to him, cupped his face in his hands, and planted a kiss to his cheek.

Before Daichi could even react, Koushi was on his feet once more and bolting off in the direction of his room.

The shards of glass clattered out of Daichi’s hand and back to the floor and his body slumped over next to them. He felt hot and itchy and his heart was hammering in his chest and it suddenly didn’t matter if he was a fool and his father was right.

“Worth it,” he whispered.

It was so totally worth it.

* * *

“I need to go to work like normal,” Koushi said the next morning as they sat at the kitchen island, drinking coffee. “Pretend like I don’t know what’s going on. I practiced being worried and sad in the mirror last night before falling asleep.”

“Hmm…” Daichi leaned his chin in the palm of his hand, watching Munchie where he sat on Koushi’s shoulder, tentacles reaching and touching anything within their range.

He was used to it at this point. Munchie was an attention whore, he'd learned, and if Koushi didn’t play with him multiple times a day, he turned into a nightmare. So it was normal, at this point, to see him perched on Koushi’s shoulder, or nestled in the crook of his elbow, at random times throughout the day.

It was routine.

And it was even becoming cute, sort of.

Until the little bastard made a run for it and wound up breaking yet another of Daichi’s belongings.

Even that was kinda cute though, watching Koushi chase after him, scolding him like he was an overeager beagle and not a slimy eldritch nightmare from the sea.

It was cute. And it distracted from the swimming pool in the living room. For a little while.

“I’ll show up, make a scene about Echo, be dramatic enough that they’ll send me home,” Koushi said. He lifted his mug to his lips to drink, pausing to catch the tentacle that made a sudden swipe for it.

“Okay,” Daichi said. “I’ve got personal days saved up so I called my boss and told him I’d be taking the whole week off.”

“Good.” Koushi sighed. “I think it’s best if we always have at least one person at the house, in case Ms. Tobe tries to sneak around.”

“About that.” Daichi set his coffee to the side, out of Munchie’s reach in case he decided to leave Koushi’s shoulder in attempts to destroy another of his mugs. “I was thinking. You don’t think this Tobe lady will go to the cops, right? Then what do you think she _will_ do?”

“Who knows,” Koushi muttered. “She’s obsessed. And she hates me. Because I know more than her and always fight her on stuff. But…” He hesitated, drumming his fingers on the countertop. “She knows she needs me. So she’s gonna tread carefully, whatever she does. Probably find a way to coerce me into bringing Echo back. Maybe blackmail me.”

Daichi cocked an eyebrow. “Do you think that’s possible? Is there even anything that she could use to blackmail you?”

Koushi let out a barking laugh and then snorted into his mug. His eyes slowly lifted to Daichi’s and his chuckles faded. He tensed, clearing his throat.

“Uhm. Yeah. I mean. Definitely.”

Daichi sighed and rubbed his temples. “Like what?”

“… it’s not important.”

“Koushi…”

“Don’t worry about it, Daichi. We just gotta focus on getting Echo to the ocean.” Koushi slid off of his stool and carried his mug to the sink to pour out the remaining coffee. “I’m going to see if I can find another boat. The problem is that I just know Ms. Tobe will have her eyes on the docks. So I can’t just rent one like I did as a teenager.” He released a deep breath and rinsed his mug, lifting his wet fingers to let Munchie grab at them. “God I really wish I woulda taken the time to think this through…”

“Me too,” Daichi mumbled and finished off his coffee.

“It’s fine,” Koushi said, setting his mug down on the counter and spinning on his heel. “It’s gonna work out. Trust me. Nobody fails upwards better than Koushi Sugawara!”

One of Munchie’s tentacles whapped him in the face, making him flinch with a comically shocked expression.

Daichi snorted into his coffee.

* * *

Koushi Sugawara had many faces.

Over the years, he had learned just how and when to pull out which face to get himself ahead of the curve, to advance in ways any lesser man could never fathom. There was an art to getting what he wanted, and he had that art perfected.

Fish weren’t the _only_ creatures Koushi Sugawara could control.

“Maybe you should head home for the day…”

Koushi sniffled and wiped the tears from his cheeks with trembling hands. “But… I’m needed here. I can’t… I can’t let this…” His chest shuddered with a sob and he pushed his hands into his eyes, hard enough that fresh tears formed.

A palm gently patted his shoulder.

“No, no, we can handle things. I think it’s best if you went home and rested.”

Koushi let silence grow between them, save for his whimpering sobs, for long seconds before lowering his hands and sniffling out a weak, “Okay…”

He fluttered his eyelashes and glanced up at his boss, who looked concerned and uncomfortable, the perfect combination when one was trying to get sent home early for the day.

“Yo-you’ll call me if you hear anything… right?”

“Of course,” he said. “You’ll be the first one to know.”

Koushi nodded, giving another shuddering sob for good measure. “Okay… thank you…”

He kept up the act as he dragged his feet out of the office and up the hall, milking the fake tears for all they were worth.

The more people that saw his misery, the better.

Just as he was passing by Ms. Tobe’s office, her door opened and she appeared in the doorframe.

Their eyes met and Koushi’s brows furrowed.

“Did you hear—”

“You can cut the act,” she interrupted. “You won’t fool me.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Koushi said.

“We both know that’s a lie.”

“Do we?”

Ms. Tobe looked unamused. “You think you’re cute.”

“Aren’t I?” Koushi fluttered his wet eyelashes.

“I know you haven’t released her yet. I will find where you’re keeping her. And I _will_ bring her back.”

“Wow. Lovin’ that confidence. _Yaaass_. Such a girl boss, Ms. Tobe.”

Her dark eyes narrowed and she stepped back into her office and slammed the door in his face.

He didn’t wait around to see if she’d come back.

Not another person spoke to him as he rushed from the building, and soon he was on his Vespa and speeding home, breathing out a deep breath of relief.

Okay.

So.

Now what?

God, Koushi reeeeeeaaaally wished he had thought this out. If only he had waited to steal her _after_ he had a boat.

Or… he supposed he could have gone a less dramatic route.

He could have just tattled.

“ _Fuck_.”

Why were all these good, not felonious ideas coming to him after he was balls deep in committing the crime of the year?

Asahi was right. Koushi couldn’t be trusted to do anything by himself.

Damn it.

Well. It was too late now. He couldn’t just… sneak her back in. He couldn’t come clean. How was he supposed to seduce Daichi from all the way in prison?

No, he definitely couldn’t come clean.

He was in this stupid plan until the end and that was final.

Next time he would take the time to think, come up with an idea that didn’t include breaking many, many laws and threatening his future bone session with his super hot roommate.

Next time.

Oh god he hoped there wouldn’t be a next time.

Though it was thrilling. It had been a while since Koushi had done something so stupid and the adrenaline _was_ quite euphoric.

_I stole a shark!_

A surprised laugh burst from his mouth as he increased his speed to make it through a yellow light.

_I stole a friggin’ shark!_

Koushi was a lunatic.

_Oops._

_Oopsie doopsie._

Asahi was going to have a heart attack when he found out.

“ _Haha!_ ”

Koushi was so not looking forward to the crash from _this_ high.

When he made it home, he parked his Vespa, removed his helmet, and bounded up the porch to the front door.

“Daichi, I’m home!” he called as he went inside, closing and locking the door behind him.

Daichi appeared up the hall. “So it worked?”

“Yup,” Koushi kicked his shoes off. “Told ya. I got all weepy and loud and my boss practically begged me to take the day off.”

Daichi released a breath of relief, broad shoulders slumping. “Oh good… I’ve been a nervous wreck being here all by myself.”

“Aww…” Koushi walked up to him and cupped his face in both hands. “Poor Daichi. It’s okay, I’m here now.”

Daichi scowled at him and Koushi smooshed his cheeks.

“So what’s the plan?” Daichi asked when he released him and headed for the kitchen. He followed close on his heels and then sat on a stool while Koushi fetched a bottle of cranberry juice from the refrigerator. “Did you think of anything?”

“I might have an idea,” Koushi said. “But I’ll need the cooperation from a couple people who I think are going to be very reluctant to help me.”

“Fuck. Well, what’s the plan?”

“The security cameras have malfunctioned before,” Koushi said as he poured himself a glass of juice. “So if I can get a few people to pretend that Echo was taken, with _permission,_ from the aquarium, we can make it look coincidental that the cameras turned off and avoid having the police get involved.”

“And… how are you going to get people to _pretend_ that she was taken with permission?”

“Kiyoko is the Director of Conservation.” Koushi returned the bottle to the refrigerator and carried his glass to the island. “The bosses let her do whatever she needs to do without asking questions. And she’s antisocial. So she usually just… _does_ things without telling anybody that doesn’t need to know. If we can get her to lie that she had Echo moved for some reason…” Koushi took a sip of juice and shrugged. “We’ll be golden.”

“Do you think she’ll do that?”

“Don’t you know, Daichi?” Koushi gave him a bright smile. “I’m a master of manipulation!”

Daichi didn’t look convinced, eyeing him warily.

“Trust me,” Koushi said. “In my experience, just about every single person can be manipulated in one of four ways. I used one of the methods to get off from work today.” With a sniffle, he brought moisture to his eyes, letting his chin wobble and eyebrows furrow tight together. “S-sobby man-manipulation… can get you… anything from…” he paused to choke on a sob, “weak losers… who are scared of emotion…”

He wiped the sadness from his face, watching tension leave Daichi’s shoulders as soon as the fake tears dried up.

“Me and Kiyoko have been friends for years,” he said. “She responds most successfully to salty manipulation. Make her feel like she’s done something shitty, and she’ll do whatever you ask.” He wiped his eyes and went on, “Ryuu responds best to sweet manipulation. Be cute and nice and compliment him and he’s putty. I’ve gotten him to commit numerous crimes just by giving him a thoughtful and detailed compliment.” A sigh fled through his lips and he glared down at his glass. “My friend Asahi is the problematic one. He’s too weepy to be intimidated by sobby manipulation and he just assumes I’m up to no good when I’m sweet to him. Being salty and passive aggressive makes him cry and—”

The doorbell rang through the house, cutting him off.

Koushi and Daichi looked at each other.

“Who… who do you think it is?” Daichi whispered.

Without answering, Koushi padded softly towards the door. The doorbell rang again as he peeked through the peephole.

Relief washed over him at the sight of the familiar face. He unlocked the door and pulled it open but before he could greet his visitor, Kiyoko shoved past him and strode into the house.

“Rude,” Koushi muttered and shut and locked the door once more. He followed her into the living room, where Daichi stood anxiously next to the pool, seemingly trying to hide it behind him, as if it were possible to conceal something that took up most of the room.

Daichi _was_ thick but… c'mon.

Kiyoko whirled to Koushi and the flat of her hand slapped into his cheek, making his vision go blurry for a moment as he stumbled backwards.

“Ooooowww!” he whined when he recovered, pressing a hand over his stinging cheek.

“I can’t believe you,” Kiyoko said, voice harsh. “I cannot _believe_ you.”

“Join the club,” Koushi muttered with a wince.

“Do you even realize the trouble you’ve caused? The trouble you’re going to be in when they realize you _kidnapped a shark?_ ”

Okay.

Time to deploy the salt.

“I’m surprised you’re even here, Kiyo,” Koushi bit. “After accusing me of forging your documents to selfishly keep Echo _captive_ in the aquarium, I never thought you’d suspect me of stealing her too.”

Kiyoko went silent, eyes darting away.

“Maybe I’m just the first one to come to your mind _every_ time something goes wrong?” Koushi lifted his chin. “I knew you saw me as a screw up but even this hurts. A little.”

“I’m sorry for accusing you of manipulating my documents,” she said, voice softening again. “I shouldn’t… I should have known that you would never do something like that.” She gulped, glancing towards the pool. “Forgery is too tame. _This_ is much more your speed.”

Well. That was easy.

“It was Ms. Tobe,” Koushi mumbled. “She doesn’t want Echo to be released because she—”

“Brings in too much money,” Kiyoko finished for him and clicked her tongue. “I can’t believe I didn’t figure it out sooner.”

“Don’t feel bad. The guy who loves and cares about Echo more than _anybody_ was a way more likely suspect, wasn’t he?”

Kiyoko sighed and rubbed her temples. “I’m sorry, Koushi.”

“Make it up to me.”

She slowly lowered her hands and looked at him, expression wary.

Koushi walked over to the pool and stood at Daichi’s side, reaching his hand in the water and running if over Echo’s back when she swam under it.

“I’m going to free her, like she deserves,” he said, voice low. “But I need time. I need the bosses off my trail. It’d be helpful if they thought Echo was somewhere she’s supposed to be, and not actually missing.”

Daichi faced the pool next to him and Koushi grabbed his wrist, bringing it forward and down into the water to pet Echo as she made another pass in front of them. He looked up into Daichi’s face, catching his bright, awed expression.

“It’s rough,” he murmured.

Koushi giggled. “Should we use it to sand off our fingerprints? Since we’re criminals now?”

Daichi huffed out a laugh. “Please no.”

Kiyoko joined them after a few seconds.

“I can tell them I sent her somewhere. For tests.”

“Will they buy it?” Koushi asked, not looking at her.

“I’ll make them buy it. Tell them that our machinery is broken and this was the only thing I could do since they refuse to pay to have it fixed.” She sighed. “Wouldn’t be a lie, honestly. The computers have been acting up lately too. I’ll say I wrote them an email but it must’ve gotten lost.”

Koushi hummed. “I guess that could work.”

“They’ll probably want to hear from the one holding her though.”

“Tell them he will call them. I’ll get Ryuu to do it.”

“Alright.”

They fell silent and Kiyoko added her hand to the pool, her red nails stark against Echo’s grey skin.

“While I don’t approve of the method,” she murmured. “I’m proud of you for fighting for her freedom. I feel like a fool to have ever suspected you of trying to keep her captive. I’m sorry.”

Koushi blew a breath through his nose. “Yeah well… sorry I panicked and kidnapped her instead of just telling you about Ms. Tobe.”

Kiyoko chuckled and lifted her hand from the water, giving it a shake to shed the extra droplets.

“It’s alright. It wouldn’t be you if you didn’t do it with a flare of _drama_.”

“You know me so well.”

"Besides..." Kiyoko's eyes lowered. "I'm not so sure the administration wouldn't feel the same way as Ms. Tobe. Freeing her before they know the truth... that might be the safest way to ensure she makes it."

Koushi's stomach twisted.

_Oh._

Kiyoko patted the remaining moisture from her hand on Koushi’s shirt. “Well. I’ll tell them to call off the hunt. Have Ryuu call them in oh… half an hour?”

“Sounds good. Thank you, Kiyoko.”

She waved and headed for the door. “Keep me updated. And I’d like to be there when you release her.”

“Yeah, I’ll send you an invite in the mail!”

The door shut on the sound of her snort.

Koushi faced Daichi and grinned. “See? Told you it would work out!”

Daichi sighed. “Don’t get too excited. There’s still plenty of time for things to go belly up.”

“Speaking of…” Koushi looked down in the pool and splashed his hands in the water, coaxing Echo to him. “Someone hasn’t gotten belly rubs today yet!” He pushed and prodded her until she rolled onto her back, revealing her white tummy, and Koushi rubbed it with both hands, cooing at her in baby talk.

He and Daichi gave Echo much needed attention until the front door was suddenly banging open and they both whirled to watch as Ryuu stormed inside, eyes flashing.

The second he saw the pool, he stopped dead in his tracks.

“ _I knew it!_ ”

“Oh boy,” Koushi muttered.

Time to get sweet.

“I knew it!” Ryuu repeated. He stomped up to them, swinging his arms in an overly dramatic way. “I just _knew_ you were going to get yourself into trouble! You _always do this!_ How are we supposed to believe you when you say you’re okay and that you won’t do something stupid when over and over again you wind up in these situations—”

“You’re right.”

Ryuu paused and blinked at him, clearly not expecting Koushi to agree with him.

“Huh?”

Koushi clasped his wet hands in front of himself. “You’re right… You’re always right. You’re… so smart. And you know me too well. I was… I was scared about how right you were. I just…” He gulped, looking away. “I just didn’t want you to think I was stupid… or irrational… or weak. I look up to you so much and it would kill me if you thought I was stupid…”

Ryuu’s cheeks flushed pink and he reached up and scratched the back of his shaved head.

“Wha-what? Nah… you don’t… you’re lyin’…”

“It’s true! You seem like you have it all figured out all the time! You’re successful and smart and charming and everybody likes you and I’m just a fuck up!”

“Nah…”

Koushi batted his eyelashes at him. “I only did it because… I thought… _what would Ryuu do?_ And you’ve always been the bravest person I know. I thought, Ryuu would definitely be a man of action. He would do what’s right, no matter the risk. And I just… did it. Was I wrong?”

Ryuu cleared his throat, tickled pink by Koushi’s sudden barrage of praise, apparently not noticing how ham-fisted the delivery was.

“Well, nah. You’re not wrong. I’d totally do the same thing. Yeah. Of course.”

“Really? Then… you’re not mad?”

“I… I guess I’m not.” He looked confused by that realization.

“Great.” Koushi walked up to him and gripped his elbow. “I need you to call the aquarium, pretending to be the vet Kiyoko had Echo sent to for tests. Think you can do that?” Koushi let out a rueful laugh. “What am I saying? Of _course_ you can. You’re _Ryuu._ You can do anything.”

“Damn straight I can,” Ryuu said, allowing Koushi to lead him to the door. “Leave it to me. Big brother Ryuu to the rescue.”

“My hero!” Koushi nudged him through the door and winked. “Don’t tell Asahi.”

He shut and locked the door and rejoined Daichi at the pool.

“See?” He smirked. “Easy peasy. Nothing to worry about.”

“Okay,” Daichi chuckled. “I’ll admit. I’m impressed.”

For the next minute, they watched Echo swim in silence.

And then Daichi faced him, one eyebrow cocked.

“Hold on. You said you had four methods of manipulation.” He lifted a hand and counted off on his fingers. “Sobby, salty, sweet… what’s the last one?”

Koushi’s eyelids dipped and he hummed, moving closer to him.

“The last one…” he whispered, pinning Daichi up against the side of the pool and gripping it on either side of him, boxing him in. “Is _spicy_ manipulation.” He leaned close, slipping one knee between Daichi’s thighs and rubbing forward.

Daichi’s eyes widened and his face went red.

“I only use it for special people though,” Koushi said, dipping his face down close to Daichi’s throat. He breathed warm air against his skin, getting a shiver in response. His head lifted slowly, their cheeks brushing, until Koushi’s lips were at his ear, touching it with the barest of connection. “And only when I want something _really_ good from them…”

He felt Daichi’s body tremble.

“O-oh… like… like what?”

“Like…” Koushi’s fingers slipped under the hem of Daichi’s shirt at his back and crept up his burning skin. He grazed Daichi’s earlobe with his teeth and then whispered, “ _Lunch._ ”

Daichi was silent and Koushi pulled back, looking into his red, confused face.

“Well?” Koushi asked, smiling innocently. “How about it?”

Daichi recovered, straightening his shoulders and clearing his throat into his fist.

“Yeah. Okay. I’ll make us something.”

He moved around Koushi and headed for the kitchen on stiff legs.

Koushi grinned.

_Easy peasy._

* * *

In the time that it took for Daichi to brew a pot of coffee, fill a mug, and then drink half of that mug, Koushi didn’t move once from his spot at the kitchen window, peeking through a crack in the striped curtain with a pair of binoculars.

It was unclear how long he had been there. But judging by the fact that Munchie was keeping him company, latched onto the back of his neck and batting a tentacle at a houseplant sitting on the window sill, and wasn’t looking at all distressed by the amount of air he was getting, Daichi figured it wasn’t much longer than he had been up and moving around.

Finally, the curiosity got the better of him and Daichi joined him at the window.

“What’re you lookin’ at?” he asked, voice thick with sleep.

Koushi didn’t lower the binoculars, but answered, “Stake out.”

“Huh?”

“There’s a stake out of our house across the street. They’ve been there all morning. It’s gotta be one of Ms. Tobe’s lackeys.”

“Hmm…” Daichi sipped his coffee. “How do you know?”

“They’re watching us.”

“Maybe they’re watching the neighbors.”

“I can see them.”

“Let me see.”

Koushi passed over the binoculars and stepped aside for Daichi to take his place at the window. He put the binoculars to his eyes and peeked through the curtain, finding the sleek black car parked across the street. After a quick examination of the vehicle, he focused on the open passenger side window.

A man stared right back at him, through his own pair of binoculars.

“Huh. Look at that,” Daichi muttered. “Not even subtle.”

“My guess is they’re hired more for their muscle than their thinking power,” Koushi said. “So? How about it? Should I get a shovel and go over there and bean them in the face—”

“How about we ignore them?” Daichi set the binoculars down on the counter and faced him. “I’m going to be here all day, every day. So there’s no way they’ll be able to sneak in and find Echo. They’re just wasting their time out there. I say we let them.”

Koushi rubbed his lips together and reached up to pat Munchie where he had wiggled around to sit on his shoulder.

“How will we move her when Noya comes back though?”

Daichi lifted his mug to his face, letting the steam roll over his face, soothing and hot. “I dunno. But think about it. If someone stole a shark, a _big_ shark, from the aquarium, would their small house in the suburbs be your first guess as to where they’d be stashing it?”

Koushi glanced to the living room.

“The answer is no,” Daichi said. “At least for someone with a normal, rational brain.”

Koushi scrunched his nose at him and Daichi chuckled.

“My guess is that they don’t know that Echo is here. They’re most likely staking the place out in hopes that you will _lead_ them to where she is.”

A contemplative expression crossed Koushi’s face and he peeked through the crack in the curtain.

“If _that’s_ the case… then we could lead them on a wild goose chase and have Koutarou and Tetsurou sneak in and move her while we’re gone.”

“I agree.”

“But where would _they_ put her—”

As he was asking it, his phone went off where it rested on the kitchen island. He dropped the curtain and moved to answer it.

“Hey Ryuu,” he said, pressing the phone to his ear. “What’s up?”

He was silent for a few moments and Daichi sipped his coffee, watching as his face went slack, his eyes widened. Slowly, his gaze met Daichi’s.

“Oh?” he said. “Your store got searched? Would it be presumptuous of me to guess that that means you’re cleared of suspicion? And that they wouldn’t bother searching it a second time?”

Daichi cocked an eyebrow, corner of his lips ticking up.

“Interesting…” Koushi rounded the kitchen island and headed for his bedroom. “Okay Ryuu, here’s the plan.”

Daichi chuckled and finished off his coffee, turning towards the window once more. He cracked the curtains open and peered out across the street to their stalker, still watching the house in an almost comically obvious way.

This was all new to Daichi. He had never been a part of… crime, like this. It was a little bit thrilling. No, it was _really_ thrilling, actually. Who would have thought that uptight Daichi Sawamura, who followed rules to a T his whole life, would be an accomplice to an honest to god shark thief?

How exciting.

Daichi was almost… having fun.

No, he was definitely having fun.

His initial fear and anxiety about getting caught and tossed in prison had eased away and calm took its place. After all, the crime was an ethical one. Like murdering a pedophile or framing a Nazi.

Daichi felt… like a vigilante. Like Batman or… well. Just Batman.

He was helping save a _shark_ from a money-grubbing capitalist.

_Who’s boring now, group of kids in high school that didn’t tell me about senior ditch day because you thought I was too big of a goody-two-shoes to participate?_

_Who’s boring now?_

Daichi dropped the curtain and rinsed out his empty mug.

Being an ethical criminal was a boost of confidence, like buying new clothes or getting a bangin’ haircut.

He felt badass and sexy and brave and… hell. At this rate, he might just have to make a move.

“Okay.”

Daichi turned at the sound of Koushi’s voice and watched him walk back into the kitchen, this time without Munchie.

“So, Noya’s plane is flying in on Thursday. That gives us three days to get Echo out of here and to Ryuu’s store. He’s going to start prepping a tank for us.”

“His store?” Daichi asked.

“Hmhm. Ryuu runs a fish rescue and store,” he said, setting his phone on the island and going to the sink to wash his hands. “He’s where I get most of my fish. He has a big tank in his backroom that he uses to hold big fish for short periods of time between rescue and finding a shelter or aquarium to take them.” He dried his hands on a towel and fetched a mug from the cupboard. “Since Ms. Tobe already searched the place, we can get Koutarou and Tetsurou to move Echo there until we can take her out to the ocean.”

Daichi grabbed the coffee pot and filled Koushi’s mug for him.

“We just need to get our stalker to leave his post for a few hours tomorrow. Tetsurou and Koutarou have the day off together. So do I, actually.” He lifted the mug to his face and took a sip, eyes closed. When he lowered it again, he looked at Daichi. “Got any ideas?”

Oh, there it was.

Daichi’s chance.

Time to shoot his shot.

“A date,” Daichi said. “Let me take you on a date.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, not much happens in this chapter. That's mostly because I scrapped my idea for the prompt at the last minute and needed to come up with something else. Oops!
> 
> Oh well, time's arrow marches forward>>>
> 
> Thank you all so much for sticking with me and this story! We are officially past halfway! I hope the remaining chapters live up to everyone's expectations <3
> 
> [drop in the ocean Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4akQJRtF0tUf2UPd6AjnzD?si=l0zQhd1KSoetpDeuvFcm8Q)  
> Come yell at me on [Tumblr.](https://mooifyourecows.tumblr.com/) or [Twitter!](https://twitter.com/mooifyourecows)
> 
> Next Time:  
> Make a move


	5. Moved by the current

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Torrential

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daisuga Week prompts: Sunny and Stormy
> 
> Mood:  
> [Completely](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm3Gh9KffFA)  
> "I hear the ocean calling  
> It’s 3am, so we park in the sand  
> Nothing gets between us, I feel you  
> We’re on a one-way street, yeah, meant for two"

“Quick, Asahi, tell me what to wear on a date!”

His demand was met with silence. Koushi pawed through the clothes in his closet, waiting impatiently for a response.

Finally, Asahi sighed through the phone braced between Koushi’s ear and shoulder.

_“This is how you break your silence? You’ve been ignoring me for weeks and now you want fashion advice?”_

“C’mon mister fashion designer, don’t be a petty bitch,” Koushi said, grabbing a hanger and pulling it down to examine the shirt hanging from it.

_“Is it petty to want a simple reply to any of my calls and texts? Fine then. I’m petty. And I’m mad.”_

Koushi groaned. “ _Please_ don’t start. I texted you last week and told you to focus on your trip!”

_“No you didn’t!”_

Koushi paused, gaze locking on the wall. “Huh? I didn’t?”

_“I haven’t heard from you since you moved into your new place!”_

“Huh… I musta forgot. I swore I was going to. Hm. My bad.”

_“Koushi, I’ve been worried sick about you.”_

Koushi’s nose scrunched. “Why? I’m fine. And besides, don’t act like you haven’t been getting info on me from Ryuu.”

_“You think I like doing that? I wouldn’t have to if you actually just answered any of my calls.”_

“Yeah well you wouldn’t call several times a day if you trusted me so.” Koushi returned the shirt and grabbed another. “Let’s just agree that we both suck and move on, okay?”

Asahi sighed again and Koushi was already regretting calling him.

_“Are you alright?”_

Koushi scowled, shoving clothes to the side to look at more. “Of course I’m alright. Why wouldn’t I be? Did you not hear that I’m going on a date?”

_“Koushi. Kiyoko told me a while ago that she was signing off on Echo being released this month. They’ve told you by now, haven’t they? How are you holding up?”_

Koushi faltered, eyes dipping to the floor.

“You… knew?”

_“I thought about telling you but… I dunno. I was worried how you’d react. Thought it might be easier for her to explain it to you.”_

Koushi’s legs trembled and he slowly lowered himself to the floor, tucking himself between hanging clothes to lean against the wall of the closet.

“So you knew,” he whispered.

_“I’m sorry Koushi. I know how much she means to you but… I think this is good! She’s finally strong enough to be free!”_

Koushi rubbed his eyes.

_“Koushi?”_

He gulped. “Yeah.”

_“Sorry. I didn’t mean to make you sad. I just wanted to know how you were doing.”_

“It’s not like it’s my first time.”

_“I know but… this one’s different.”_

_This one’s different._

Koushi dropped his head back against the wall and closed his eyes.

_This one’s different._

Echo was different.

 _“When are you releasing her?”_ Asahi asked.

He cleared his throat, attempting to keep his voice steady as he replied, “Hopefully Friday. If everything goes according to plan.”

_“Friday? Me and Noya will be back by then. Can we be there with you?”_

“Yeah,” Koushi let out a soft laugh. “I’m kinda relying on you being there, actually.”

_“Oh? That… makes me happy. Are they going to make it into a big deal? Echo is so popular. I’ll bet a lot of people will want to see her off.”_

Koushi sucked in a deep breath and let it out. “Nah… I don’t want there to be a lot of people.”

_“I don’t blame you. Have you chosen a spot?”_

“My old diving grounds. Figured it’d be nice to return her to somewhere familiar. Even if she doesn’t remember it.”

_“That’s a great idea.”_

They were silent for long seconds.

 _“So… you have a date? With your roommate?”_ Asahi finally broke it.

Koushi rubbed his eyes. “Yeah. Daichi.”

_“What are you going to do?”_

“We’re gonna go to the museum. He works there.”

_“How tame. When was the last time you went on a date that was an actual… date? I still have nightmares about getting a phone call from the hospital about you crashing that jet ski into the side of that yacht.”_

Koushi grinned. “You mean test driving jet skis drunk isn’t an actual date?”

_“You tell me. How did that work out for you, Koushi? Did that guy ever call you back?”_

“Well the broken jaw probably made it hard to talk so I didn’t really expect to hear from him for a while anyway,” Koushi muttered.

Asahi let out a soft laugh. _“A museum date though… that sounds peaceful. Safe. Uh… don’t try to climb on any of the dinosaur bones, okay?”_

“Ooohh, thanks for the good idea, Asahi!”

_“Koushi, please. I will have a heart attack.”_

“Just kidding. You would like this guy, Asahi. He’s super chill and mature. I feel like he’s really good at staying out of trouble.”

_“He let you rent his spare room. That’s proof that he’s most definitely not good at staying out of trouble.”_

“Shit, if you’re saying _I’m_ trouble then I sure as fuck _hope_ he’s not good at staying out of it.”

_“Jesus.”_

Koushi grinned. “Anyway. C’mon. What should I wear?”

_“What’s the weather like?”_

“Sunny.”

_“Hm… and you’re going to the museum… will probably be walking around a lot, inside and outside, since they have those gardens…”_

Koushi smiled as he listened to his musings, tugging on the hem of his shorts.

_“Okay. How about that one billowy button-down with the short sleeves… the navy blue one with the little sharks on it? And pair it with those white pants that are cuffed and show your ankles. Then wear low socks and those short boots I bought you for your birthday.”_

“Hmmm… that sounds cute.” Koushi struggled to his feet and sifted through the hangers in search of the clothes.

_“French tuck the shirt, please. And leave the top three buttons undone.”_

“Oooooh, sexy. Are you trying to get me laid tonight?”

_“You’ll look awkward if they’re buttoned all the way up. Also, yes. Somehow I feel like my life would be much easier if you got laid for once.”_

Koushi barked out a laugh. “Harsh!”

Asahi chuckled.

“Well,” Koushi found the shirt and tossed it onto his bed in the room and continued his search for the pants. “Don’t worry. If I get laid then I’ll be sure to fill you in on all the nasty details.”

_“Please don’t.”_

“Too late. You asked for it. Want me to talk to you more? This is what we’re gonna talk about.”

Asahi groaned.

Koushi found the pants and walked them into his bedroom to set them next to the shirt.

“Okay, well I gotta shower and get ready for the date. Thanks for the help.”

 _“Yeah… I hope you have a good time.”_ He paused and then added, _“And I’m sorry about Echo. Really. I know you’re going to miss her but… I’m proud of you for being so mature.”_

Koushi gulped.

“Yeah. Talk to you later, Asahi.”

He ended the call and set the phone on the bed, chest tightening.

_This one’s different._

Slowly, Koushi left his bedroom and crossed the living room to stand next to the swimming pool. Echo was making idle circles around the edge, as usual. For a moment, he just watched her fin slice through the water like a blade.

_Echo is different._

After swallowing the lump in his throat, Koushi climbed over the side of the pool and stood waist deep in the water. Echo noticed his arrival and swam up to him, nuzzling her face into his side and then around his back to circle around and do it again. Koushi smoothed his hands over her rough skin, feeling choked and hollow at the same time as he welcomed her familiar playful nudging and rubbing.

He lowered farther into the water and opened his arms for her to swim into his hold, growing still when he hugged her to his chest and stroked her nose. Her large body relaxed in his grasp and Koushi sucked in a deep breath and submerged, lowering to his knees on the bottom of the pool. Echo nestled into his lap and he blinked his eyes underwater, staring down at her as he continued to pet over her sandpaper skin.

How many years had it been now that he had done this? Days upon days, stacked tall and wide that made up his memory of time spent with this single fish. How many times had he sat just like this, kneeling in the sand at the bottom of that tank, holding this creature like she was man’s true best friend?

He recognized this touch. The pattern and shape of the stripes along her back and sides were carved into his memory.

_This one’s different._

And Koushi wasn’t ready to say goodbye.

They stayed like that until Koushi needed air. He nudged her off of his lap and pushed to his feet, head breaking the surface of the water. He filled his lungs with air and wiped water from his face, pressing his fingers hard into his eyes momentarily.

When he dropped his hands, he spotted Daichi standing at the edge of the pool, a towel draped over his shoulder. His expression was kind, his eyes warm and smile gentle.

Koushi’s chin wobbled and he bit down on his bottom lip, refusing to cry.

Not yet.

He wouldn’t cry yet.

Not until he said goodbye.

* * *

_Oh no._

There was no _fucking_ way that Daichi was going to make it through the day in one piece.

_Help._

_I’m screwed._

He was so totally screwed.

Because Koushi was walking around the house in his chosen outfit for their date and he was too cute and he was too handsome and he was too sexy and Daichi felt completely out of place.

Damn his lack of fashion sense. He looked ridiculous in comparison to Koushi’s smart and breezy outfit. Sure, Daichi _had_ gone clothes shopping, adding at least a _few_ pieces of clothing to his closet that weren’t work clothes or t-shirts.

But his simple jeans and white sneakers and tan, long sleeved shirt couldn’t even hope to compare to the charm of Koushi Sugawara in a shirt with little _sharks_ on it.

_Help._

It only made it worse that he had the buttons opened nearly halfway down his chest and Daichi spotted a couple of freckles on his pale skin, coaxing forth an unnecessary daydream about stripping him down and kissing every single freckle he found.

How unnecessary.

Daichi didn’t need that type of stress. He was already dealing with enough at the moment.

He was taking Koushi Sugawara on a date.

Sure, it was to get their stalker to follow them so Koutarou and Tetsurou could move Echo from the house, but Daichi didn’t care about semantics.

It was a date.

A date.

An actual date.

Daichi was taking Koushi on a _date_ and he was so nervous that the shirt he was wearing at the moment was _not_ the first he had put on since his shower. He had sweat straight through the other three and was not about to go on a date with Koushi Sugawara with pit stains.

He already looked like garbage standing next to Koushi’s perfection.

Sweaty armpits were not allowed.

“Okay!”

Daichi jumped at the sound of the voice and turned to face Koushi with a gulp.

_Oh no._

_He’s so cute._

_Help._

Koushi walked up and leaned his elbows on the kitchen island, giving Daichi a clear look right down the front of his billowy shirt.

“So, to be sure that the guy follows us,” Koushi said and Daichi forced his eyes to meet his gaze. “We gotta act suspicious. You know, real shifty. Like we are going to lead him right to where Echo is. Ryuu is parked up the street to watch and make sure the guy doesn’t decide to stay and break into the house.” He reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind his ear, and ohhh he had styled it into a charming little coif. “He’ll tail the guy and keep Koutarou and Tetsurou posted before meeting them at his store to help unload. Then he’ll let us know when it’s safe.”

“Hmm… got it.” Daichi placed the glass from which he had been drinking water into the sink. “So our job is to have fun and occasionally look suspicious. Sounds easy enough.”

Koushi giggled. “We really lucked out. Got the best job of the bunch, huh?”

“Definitely.”

Koushi’s smile morphed into a smirk. “Careful Daichi. Your eagerness to take me on a date is showing.”

“Good,” Daichi said, heart thudding.

Koushi winked and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “Okay, just give me a second to make sure Ryuu and the others are ready. Then we can leave. Do you wanna drive or do you wanna take my Vespa?”

Daichi didn’t even want to entertain the idea of trying to squeeze onto the scooter.

“I’ll drive.”

“Boo.”

As he wandered off into the living room to call the others, Daichi sprinted on quiet sneakers to the bathroom to make sure he was ready.

He stood in front of the mirror and pushed helplessly at his hair, wishing he had any idea on how to make it look better than how he usually wore it. A quick sniff of his armpits revealed that his deodorant was working at max capacity and he hadn’t sweat through the shirt yet, so another wardrobe change wasn’t necessary. His teeth were clean and the breath he breathed into the palm of his hand was minty fresh.

_Okay._

_Okay._

Daichi was good.

He was alright.

He didn’t look nearly as handsome as Koushi but he was alright. He looked and smelled clean and even if his fashion sense was subpar at best, he had a little pride in his reflection in the mirror. The color of his shirt looked good next to his tanned skin and his jawline was strong and wide and his face was a-okay. His shoulders filled out the shirt fantastically and it fit well enough that you couldn’t even see his love handles.

_I need to start eating healthier._

How was he supposed to seduce Koushi Sugawara without a six pack?

How?

“Daichi?”

He jumped in surprise at the sound of Koushi’s call.

“Coming!” Daichi hurriedly flicked the light off and left the bathroom, joining Koushi where he stood at the entrance of the hall to the front door.

“Are you ready?” he asked, smiling.

“Ye-yeah. Totally,” Daichi said. “Are you?”

“Yep! Ryuu and the others are all set and ready as soon as we are out of sight.” He gave a little hop. “I’m excited! Let’s go!”

“Okay, okay.” Daichi stumbled when Koushi grabbed his hand and dragged him towards the door. “Careful, Koushi. Your eagerness to go on a date with me is showing.”

“Good!”

Daichi warmed and moved ahead of him to open the door.

“Okay, act suspicious,” Koushi whispered as he passed him outside.

Daichi followed and locked the door behind him. When he faced forward, Koushi was darting his eyes all around, looking tense and nervous.

_Cute…_

It felt like they were spies, going on a mission.

The reality was better though.

_I’m going on a date with Koushi Sugawara._

_Ahh… help._

He didn’t even mind if the reason they were going was to lead a stalker away. A date was a date and Daichi wasn’t above taking whatever he could get.

Besides, there was a chance it would go well.

 _Really_ well.

There was a chance that Daichi was going to be bold and make a move and maybe even end the night with a kiss.

_Or more._

Daichi’s heart skipped a beat at the thought.

_Hopefully more._

Koushi stepped off of the porch, looking around like he was checking for spies, and it was a little bit cute, watching him put on the show, especially looking like that, so adorable and charming. He turned back to Daichi and gestured sneakily, hand flapping down by his hips, and Daichi followed, doing his own nervous acting, as if he were about to do something illegal.

It was fun, actually.

They made their way to Daichi’s car and did some more anxious glancing around before climbing inside. As soon as the doors were shut, Koushi let out a breathy laugh.

“Think it was convincing?”

“Of course,” Daichi said, starting the engine. “Our acting was impeccable.”

“Honestly, you were a little stiff.”

“Stiff is good when you’re trying to look nervous, Bastard.”

“Hmmm… sure.”

Daichi backed out of his driveway and drove up the street, peeking in his rearview mirror to see if their stalker was following.

“Relax, Daichi,” Koushi said, drawing his attention. “Ryuu’s in charge of watching him. Our only job is to have fun. Remember?”

Daichi gulped. “Right.”

The next block over, Koushi’s phone beeped and he checked it.

“Okay. Ryuu said the guy’s following. Let’s drive around town a little bit before going to the museum, like we are trying to shake a possible tail.”

“Got it.” Daichi flicked on his blinker and turned down a new street.

“What should we look at first at the museum?” Koushi asked. “Honestly I really wanna see the dinosaurs. Specifically the aquatic fossils. Isn’t there a liopleurodon at this museum?”

“Uh… I have no idea.”

“Boo, c’mon Daichi. You work there!”

“Yeah, but I’m just a security guard. I… know a little bit about the fine art and that’s about it. Sorry. You beat me when it comes to endless info dumping.”

Koushi let out a laugh. “Oh well. It’s alright. We can learn together.”

The mention of _together_ made Daichi’s vision go a little pink around the edges.

_Together._

This was a date.

They talked and teased as they roamed around town for a few minutes, getting the occasional update from Ryuu letting them know that the guy was still on their tail.

“Alright,” Koushi said after a while. “Koutarou and Tetsurou are making their move. Let’s make our way to the museum.”

Daichi did as he was told and drove them to the museum, parking in the lot off to the side.

“Remember to act suspicious,” Koushi said, unbuckling his seatbelt. “Like maybe this is the place where we’ve stashed Echo! Honestly it would be a reasonable guess. You work here, after all. They’ve probably got plenty of space to hide a shark. Not to mention our bosses are total rivals. Mr. Ono is always talking shit about the museum.”

Before they climbed out of the car, Koushi held up a hand.

“Hold on. Let me send a quick text to Ryuu.”

He started tapping out a message, reading out loud as he typed.

“ _When… he follows us… inside… slash… his tires…_ okay. Sent.”

Daichi sputtered into his fist.

Koushi’s phone beeped and he checked it, scowl forming on his lips. “ _Fuck you, I’m not doing that._ ” He clicked his tongue. “Ryuu is such a _pussy._ Okay… _just… let out the… air in them… then._ ” He sent the new message and stuffed the phone into his pocket. “Ready?” he asked Daichi, eyes glinting with mischief.

Daichi’s chest tightened and he nodded. “Yeah. Act suspicious.”

They climbed out of the car and Daichi locked the doors, looking over his shoulder. This time, the searching was organic, considering he honestly didn’t know where their stalker had parked. It was a weekday, so the lot wasn’t especially busy, but there were enough cars that after a quick once over, he couldn’t spot the one that had been sitting outside his house the past couple of days.

Daichi gained Koushi’s side and they walked swiftly in the direction of the museum. Koushi was muttering under his breath and Daichi moved closer in order to hear.

“Suspicious, suspicious. Look how suspicious I am. Dontcha wanna stalk me? See what naughty things I’m about to do?”

Daichi pressed his lips tight together to hold in a laugh.

Koushi glanced up at him and frowned. “Look more suspicious, Daichi!”

“Right, right.” He threw a wary glance over his shoulder and smoothed his hands over the front of his shirt. “Suspicious, suspicious… look how suspicious I am…”

Koushi giggled and his elbow connected with Daichi’s side.

As they climbed the front steps to the door, Koushi leaned close and said in a hushed voice, “When we buy our tickets, act like you’re doing a drug deal. Like you’ve got an agreement with the front desk person.”

Daichi blew out a breath. “God I hope the front desk person isn’t Takahiro today…”

He opened the door for Koushi and they both went inside.

Aaaaand it _was_ Takahiro.

Great.

The man in question perked at the sight of Daichi and Koushi, straightening from his slouched position behind the desk in the museum foyer.

“Ohh?” he said as they approached. “What’s this? Looks like a date. Big ol’ gay date. Daichi, are you on a big ol’ gay date on this fine, sunny day?”

“Bastard I’ll fucking kill you if you don’t shut your goddamn mouth,” Daichi muttered and pressed his hands down on the desk. “Don’t speak. There’s a fucker following us and we need him to think that we are doing some dirty dealings here so that he keeps following us, so act like we have some sort of illegal agreement.”

“Oh my god it _is_ a gay date.” Takahiro stamped their hands and passed Koushi a folded map of the museum. “Only gays are this dramatic. Alright, pass me money like you’re giving me _way_ more than the twenty buckaroos.”

Daichi pulled his wallet from his pocket, glancing over his shoulder in time to see the door opening. He hurriedly looked forward again and pulled a twenty from his wallet, concealing it in his hand and offering it to Takahiro.

He took it, equally as sneaky, and tucked it into the breast pocket of his suit coat. His eyes darted left and right and he cleared his throat, grabbing the radio attached to his hip. He lifted it to his lips and muttered into it,

“Issei, without asking questions, respond to me by saying _it’s ready,_ and I will totally suck your dick tonight.”

“ _It’s ready_ ,” a voice replied almost immediately.

Daichi clicked his tongue and muttered, “No _… that’s_ gay…”

Takahiro lifted his chin and gestured behind him to the doors that led farther into the museum. “Go ahead,” he said.

Koushi took Daichi’s hand and pulled him to the doors and they heard Takahiro greet the person that came in behind them with forced friendliness, drawing a stark line of contrast between it and how he spoke with them.

“Where should we go first?” Koushi whispered to Daichi as soon as they were on the other side of the doors and inside the museum’s giant atrium.

“We’ll lead him on a wild goose chase,” Daichi whispered back. “Circle around a few exhibits. Let’s start in the rainforest room, then move to the rock exhibit. If we can make it to the back of the building, we can sneak into the back room and lose him.”

“Do we want to lose him though?” Koushi asked, looking over his shoulder. “Don’t we want to keep him on our trail?”

“If we give him reason to believe that _this_ is where Echo is being stored, then there’s no reason for him to go back to our house,” Daichi said. “We just gotta _sell_ it.”

“Okay…” Koushi checked his phone while Daichi turned and led him through the atrium in the direction of the tall archway that opened on the Rainforest Room. “Ryuu said he let out all the air in the guy’s tires. He’s not going anywhere.”

“Perfect,” Daichi let out a sigh of relief. “Let’s shake this loser.”

Koushi giggled, lacing his fingers with Daichi’s and spurring his heart into a dead sprint.

And damn if Daichi had an ulterior motive for wanting to shake their stalker as quickly as possible, it was so that this date could turn into a _real_ date, without the need to _act suspicious_ and worry about some random guy following them around.

Daichi wanted to get rid of the bastard so he could flirt and truly enjoy the feeling of Kouhi’s hand in his. He wanted to talk and talk and talk and _talk_ until they had nothing left to say. Until there was absolutely nothing that they didn’t know about each other.

If Daichi didn’t get rid of the jerk soon, he was going to turn around and beat him unconscious with his own fists instead.

…

Nah.

Daichi was acting like a vigilante, sure, but there was no way in hell he could go _that_ hard.

Not even for a hot guy.

…

Well.

Unless he asked.

For the next twenty minutes, Daichi and Koushi led their stalker around and around the museum. Several times, Daichi threw a look over his shoulder and caught sight of the guy following, hurriedly looking away or hiding his face in his map as if the action wasn’t one hundred percent obvious.

They wound their way all the way through the Rainforest Room and then through the geological exhibits and Koushi quietly complained about wanting to stop and read every sign and play with the interactive kiosks.

“We’ll circle back around later and look at it closer,” Daichi promised and Koushi quieted, content smile on his lips.

Finally, after what felt like _forever_ , Daichi just couldn’t take it anymore.

They were on a _date_ for fuck’s sake! And he wanted to enjoy it to the fullest! He wanted to flirt and find meaning in abstract paintings of balls and triangles! He wanted to be smooth and charming and gather up the courage to put an arm around his waist and then maybe kiss in the gazebo out in the garden, damn it.

In a wide hallway between the geological exhibit and the bug room, Daichi’s eyes fell on a door with _Museum Staff Only_ printed on it in bright red letters.

“C’mon,” Daichi murmured and picked up his pace, dragging Koushi to the door. He typed the passcode into the keypad next to it and it beeped and flashed green, lock disengaging.

He ripped the door open and yanked Koushi inside, looking back into the hallway in time to see their stalker make a leap to try and catch the door before it slammed shut.

Loud banging exploded against the door and Daichi and Koushi hurried up the long, narrow hallway to a series of offices.

“Hold on,” he said, breathless, and paused in the doorway of one office.

Standing at a file cabinet and sifting through the contents of a drawer was Issei and he looked their direction at their arrival.

“Eyyy,” he said. “You guys on a big ol’ gay date? That’s hot. Need a place to bone? Tooru’s office has a couch.”

Daichi ignored the tease and asked, “Are you bored? Looking for something to do?”

“Oh fuck yes man, lay it on me. Wait. Do you want me to join in on the gay times? Hmm… okay but I gotta ask Takahiro for permission first—”

“There’s a guy following us,” Daichi interrupted. “He’s banging on the door right now. It would be _super_ helpful of you locked him in the security office for a few hours to keep him from bugging us.”

Issei slammed the drawer. “Sounds hilarious. Can I interrogate him too?”

“Be my guest. He thinks we’re hiding a stolen tiger shark here so if you wanna lead him on about that, that’d be great.”

“Damn Dai.” Issei’s mouth stretched into a wide grin. “You’ve gotten so fun all of a sudden. I think I’m falling for you.”

“Hey,” Koushi piped up. “Get in line!”

Daichi’s cheeks flamed and Issei chuckled.

“Thanks,” Daichi said, pulling Koushi back out of the room. “Keep him occupied for at least…” He glanced down at Koushi.

“An hour?” Koushi offered.

“Sure. An hour.”

Issei gave them an “ok” symbol with his fingers and headed for the door of the hallway, where the sounds of banging and muffled shouts were still echoing.

“Have fun!” he said. “And remember! Tooru’s office has a couch!”

Daichi blushed and dragged Koushi the rest of the way up the hall and around the corner.

“C’mon, we can sneak back out into the museum through a different staff door.”

“Hmm? But I wanna check out that couch…”

Daichi cleared his throat. “We have a couch at home.”

Koushi giggled.

Daichi navigated them through the hallways for a minute, Koushi muttering under his breath about how it was less exciting in back than _Night at the Museum_ made it seem, until he found the door he was looking for.

“Are you ready?” Daichi asked.

“Yep!”

Daichi opened the door and pushed it open. He and Koushi stepped out into the dinosaur exhibit and Koushi’s eyes flew wide, his mouth dropped open at being suddenly greeted by a massive brachiosaurus.

Daichi smiled and tugged him forward.

“The real date begins… _now_.”

* * *

Koushi swiped through the new pictures cluttering up the gallery of his phone, giggling helplessly over the blushing smile Daichi was giving in just about every single one of them, scratching the back of his head or pulling whatever pose Koushi had bullied him into pulling.

He paused on a shot of them both standing in front of the fossil of a long necked plesiosaurus suspended behind them. His arm was around Koushi’s shoulders and Koushi hugged him around the waist, smiling wide at the camera where Daichi held it for them. Daichi didn’t look bashful in this image. Instead, his grin was bright, his expression charming and confident.

It made Koushi’s heart do flips in his chest and he giddily made the image his new home screen.

“Here you go.”

Koushi looked up in time to watch Daichi set a tray down on the table where he sat.

“Get ready,” he said with a grin as he took his seat across from him. “This meatball sandwich is why I’m chubby.”

“Ohh? You mean I might get a cute layer of chub too if I eat this?” Koushi teased and took the offered sandwich from Daichi’s hands.

“Ohh? You think my chub is cute?”

“C’mon, Daichi.” Koushi rolled his eyes. “What _isn’t_ cute about you?”

Oh, that got him going bashful again.

_Ahhhh… cute._

“So, what has been your favorite part of our date so far?” Koushi asked and lifted his sandwich to his mouth, searching for the best way to take a bite without getting sauce all over himself.

“Hmm…” Daichi was doing the same across the table from him, turning his sandwich around and eyeing it with intensity. “Probably when you said that one painting looked like cock and balls and that woman cussed you out.”

Koushi clicked his tongue. “Art snobs have no sense of humor! And it _did_ look like cock and balls! Big ones!”

Daichi snorted and finally took a bite. Red sauce instantly smeared across his cheeks and chin and Koushi sputtered and hurriedly set his sandwich down to grab his phone and snap photos of him.

He ignored the clicking of the camera, cheeks puffed, and mumbled, “What’s your favorite part so far?”

Koushi returned his phone to his pocket and grabbed his sandwich again. “The dinosaurs, probably. The mosasaurus was so cool! Like the whole thing about how their tail had a fin like a shark! So cool. Hey, Daichi, do you think I could have been friends with mosasaurs if they were alive today?”

Daichi hummed. “I dunno. But no. Definitely not.”

Koushi sighed. “Yeah… you’re probably right.” He took a bite of his sandwich, getting sauce all over his face.

“Oh, the tables have turned!” Daichi ripped his phone from his pocket and started snapping photos of Koushi, enticing giggles from him as he attempted to chew and swallow his bite.

“Cute,” Daichi moaned and leaned back in his chair. “So cute.”

“Shut up. Like you’re one to talk! My gallery is full of you lookin’ shy and cute,” Koushi’s nose scrunched. “I’m gonna print them out and put them all around the house.”

“Oh god, please don’t,” Daichi said. He set his phone on the table and lifted his sandwich again.

“Not even the cute ones of us together?” Koushi batted his eyelashes at him.

Daichi didn’t answer for a moment, taking another bite and looking away. After swallowing his mouthful, he mumbled,

“I guess those ones are allowed.”

Koushi grinned.

For the next few minutes, they ate in silence, save for their moans of delight over the delicious meal. Daichi really hadn’t been kidding. The meatball sandwich was to die for and Koushi could see himself putting on considerable weight if he worked at the museum instead of the aquarium.

Once their meals were gone, they sat in satisfied silence, making eyes at each other from across the table.

Fun.

Koushi was having fun.

He figured that dating Daichi would be fun. Of course it would. Daichi was cute and funny and handsome and being around him made Koushi feel warm and safe.

Even the very start of their date, having to lead their stalker around and put on a show was fun. It felt exciting and new and fresh and spontaneous and Koushi liked everything about the day so far.

“What should we do next?” Daichi asked.

“Hmmm…” Koushi checked his phone. They had been out for hours. It was nearly evening already.

It was a little disappointing. He didn’t want the day to end. Even though they’d be going home to the same place, he wanted to prolong this date for as long as he could.

Just as he was about to put his phone away, the screen lit up with a new message from Ryuu. He opened it quietly and stared down at the image of Echo in the tank in the backroom of Ryuu’s store.

Koushi released a breath of relief and showed the phone to Daichi.

He smiled and leaned his chin in the palm of his hand. “Mission accomplished.”

Koushi returned the smile and lowered his phone.

Since Echo was safe… he supposed that was it. They didn’t need to stay out any longer.

But…

“Okay, c’mon.”

Koushi looked up at Daichi as he stood and offered a hand.

Just as his heart was falling, sinking in disappointment, Daichi smiled crookedly and said,

“We haven’t walked through the gardens yet.”

An electric burst of excitement shot through Koushi and he reached out and took Daichi’s hand.

He pulled him to his feet and added with a hum, “There’s a statue out there with some cock and balls for you to comment on.”

“Oh thank god. I’m not going to be satisfied with this date until I see at least two more sets of cock and balls.”

Daichi’s cheeks reddened and he cleared his throat. “Well. There’s only one set in the gardens but uh… maybe we will find you another by the end of the night.”

Koushi _tried_ to hold in his laughter.

He tried.

* * *

"Them’s some nice cock and balls.”

Daichi hummed. “Agreed.”

They stared at the statue of the man in the center of the fountain for another minute before Koushi let out a snort and hooked his arm in Daichi’s elbow, tugging him off along the path that curved through the vibrant roses that filled the garden with their fragrance.

He had hoped that the sunset would be beautiful, so that Koushi could capitalize off of the romance and make a move on Daichi, but instead the sky was overcast and dark.

It was less romantic, sure, but nice nonetheless, being guided by the light of garden lamps instead.

And it was quiet. Nobody else walked the gardens, no doubt driven away by the threat the dark clouds posed overhead. It was quiet and peaceful and Koushi reveled in the joy of being alone with Daichi.

“Tell me more,” Daichi finally broke the silence.

“Hm?” Koushi glanced up at him.

“About you,” he clarified. “Your life. How you’ve wound up where you are now.”

“You mean a shark thief with a bangin’ body?”

Daichi snorted and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, exactly. How does a shark thief with a bangin’ body turn out that way?”

Koushi smiled and stared forward. “Well… I’m mentally ill. Like _really_ mentally ill.”

“Right. Obviously.”

He pinched Daichi’s side and he let out a laugh.

“Being a kid was hard,” Koushi went on, tightening his arm around Daichi’s elbow. “First, my dad died when I was seven. Then, I got diagnosed with bipolar disorder when I was eleven. Struggled to be a good boy and take my meds. Was constantly manic and occasionally depressed. Meds put me in mixed states and I hated them so I would flush them down the toilet instead of taking them…” He pursed his lips. “Still do that from time to time, honestly. Because being manic is fun, you know? I think of fun stuff to do. Stuff like buying more fish and going on rescues and…” he paused. “You know. Stealing sharks.”

Daichi hummed. “I see…”

Koushi sighed. “Anyway. When I was a teenager, I was getting really down. Like… _really_ down. The meds I was taking at that point weren’t doing dick to help me and I was pretty much always depressed and miserable. That’s when my mom started taking me diving.” His eyes drifted off to the side, wandering over the roses absently. “She was a scientist. It was her job to go out to the ocean and dive and research the local algae and shit like that. Her work was super important to conservation efforts of aquatic ecosystems. She was one of the scientists to get a lot of the sharks reintroduced to this part of the ocean after fishing nearly wiped them out.” A small smile touched his lips and he reached out, brushing his fingers over a pink bloom as they slowly passed. “She was really cool.”

Daichi’s warm hand smoothed over Koushi’s forearm where it circled his elbow.

“Was?”

Koushi’s cheeks puffed with air and he blew it out. “Yeeaah. She died. When I was seventeen.”

“I’m sorry…”

He shrugged. “Yeah, it sucked. I miss her. But anyway. Mom didn’t trust me to be home alone when I was depressed, so she started making me go with her. She taught me everything I needed to know about diving. She introduced me to sharks. When she’d go out and collect samples from reefs and stuff, I’d play with the tigers. I…” His brows furrowed. “I liked the world down there, you know? On land, I was overwhelmed, all the time. I was constantly being tugged around by school and friends and doctors and when the meds weren’t working… I just couldn’t stand all the noise.”

He reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind his ear, lifting his eyes to the overcast sky.

“But then I started diving. And… the weight of the water made everything go quiet.”

He inhaled a slow, deep breath.

“And at the bottom of the sea, everything is blue.”

He closed his eyes and let Daichi lead him through the garden.

“Down there, I was just another drop in the ocean, being moved by the current,” he murmured and leaned his head on Daichi’s shoulder. “Nothing mattered. I existed and that was it. That was enough.”

A few moments of silence passed.

Koushi opened his eyes again but left his head on Daichi’s shoulder.

“Before Mom died, we met Echo. She was young. Just showed up with the others one day and started coming back over and over again. We got attached to her, gave her a name, and even bought a really expensive underwater camera to record her when she’d try to copy our tricks.” He smiled but it quickly fell away. “Then Mom died and I didn’t want to go diving for a while. It took a couple of months before my friends were finally able to coax me into giving it a try again. And the second I dropped underwater… there was Echo.” He huffed. “She was _so_ excited to see me. She chased me around and tried to cuddle with me… It was ridiculous. I never thought a shark could miss someone as much as she seemed to miss me.”

His eyes stung and he reached up to rub them with a soft groan.

“I promised not to abandon her like that ever again and started going diving as often as I could. At least a couple times a week. And then, a couple months later, she was sick. I _freaked_ , Daichi. Not even kidding. I had no choice, you know? I called up the aquarium, they picked her up, and bam, I got a job.”

He finally lifted his head from Daichi’s shoulder and cleared his throat.

“Well, there you go. My whole life story, basically.”

“Not your whole life story,” Daichi mumbled. “But a good summary.”

Koushi grinned and looked up at him. “Okay, I feel like I’m _always_ the one talking. So, your turn. Tell me _your_ life story.”

He shrugged. “Not much to tell. My life has been pretty boring up until now.”

“Boo, tell me anyway!”

With a sigh, Daichi scratched his nose and said, “Well… never had a mom. She ditched my dad when I was little so I don’t remember her. Dad’s a gruff, masculine guy who was pretty terrified to learn his only son was gay. We had a few awkward years in my early- to mid- teens, but he’s gotten better. He’s worked hard to find a way to keep our relationship good. Even though he is kinda judgy from time to time still. Mostly about stuff pertaining to big life choices and what he considers a waste of money.”

“Liiiike… buying a house you can’t afford?”

“Hush.”

Koushi giggled and they slowed in their meandering to stand in front of an angel statue, giving it its due admiration.

“I went to college and graduated with a degree in marketing and advertising. Had a pretty sweet job at a big corporation in the city, got promoted after a year of working there. Money got to my head. Bought a house. Got laid off. My friend, Hajime, got me the security job here.” He waved a hand around the gardens and they moved slowly away from the statue. “Had a housemate before you that was a total bum. He lost his job soon after moving in and mooched off of me for a few months before I got the nerve to kick him out. And there ya go. All caught up.”

Koushi scrunched his nose and pinched Daichi’s arm. “Boring. C’mon. Tell me about your tense relationship with your dad. Feed me the drama. You owe me, since I’m an orphan with no parental drama to talk about.”

“Jesus.”

“Go on.”

“Uhhhh…” Daichi pushed out a breath and scratched the back of his neck. “Well… Dad… isn’t a bad guy. _His_ dad was an asshole. Overflowing with toxic masculinity. Used homophobic slurs as insults on his kids when they cried or made a mistake… ya know. _That_ type of toxic. Dad hated grandpa so don’t worry, he was a _way_ better dad than that.” He shrugged. “But ya know. The conditioning was there. Years of _be a man_ and _treat women like garbage_ was ingrained into him, even if he didn’t actively practice it. He preferred to take a more… hands _off_ position when it came to the stuff he didn’t like. Emotions? Yikes, isn’t there a female that you can talk to instead? Or better yet, just don’t feel it at all? You know. Stuff like that.”

“Hmm…” Koushi nodded slowly. “Classic alpha male mentality, yes.”

Daichi chuckled. “Well. He pulled himself out of that though. He tried his best when I was young but he never planned on being a dad. He definitely didn’t plan on being a _single_ dad. He _one hundred percent_ didn’t plan on being a single dad to a kid he couldn't relate to. Fuck, looking back on it, I kinda pity him.” He let out a laugh. “He thought he was lucky to get a son but oops! Gay!”

Koushi giggled.

“But on top of that,” Daichi went on. “We had nothing in common. Sure, we both liked sports but he liked basketball and baseball and I liked volleyball and tennis. He liked kayaking and I liked hiking. He liked action movies and I liked rom-coms. Seemed like the _only_ thing we had in common was food. But he couldn’t cook for shit so…” He snorted.

A few moments of silence passed and he hummed.

“When he found out I was gay… it was hard, for a little while. After his initial freak out, he tried to make it seem like it didn’t bother him, but he was shit at acting too. And I noticed. Felt pretty damn awful. I thought maybe that was it. The end. Any hope of having a good relationship with my one parent was just… gone.”

“But?” Koushi pressed, peering up into his face.

A small smile touched Daichi’s lips. “But I was wrong. _Somehow_ , this man, this gruff and manly man who spent his entire life repressing emotions and expressing himself through yelling and aggression instead actually went out and got himself a fucking _therapist._ ”

“Oooo.”

“Couldn’t believe it. He started going to therapy, learning how to work through his emotions. Express himself in a healthy way. Come to terms with his gay son. And it’s been really nice since then. Sure, he still lectures me about stupid stuff like buying that goddamn house and losing that goddamn job, but he cares. And he makes an honest effort to support me through it all, regardless of whether he understands it.”

“He sounds like a good dad,” Koushi said, voice gentle.

Daichi huffed. “Yeah… I mean… he _did_ take me to a Pride parade when I was seventeen. Fuck baby steps, he’s the epitome of _go big or go home._ ”

“Oh my god…” Koushi grinned. “Little Daichi at a Pride parade. That sounds hilarious.”

He snorted. “I felt like a fish out of water. Look, I’m a proud gay man and I understand the whole point of the parades and the celebration and stuff but… I prefer to watch it from afar. From the comfort of my home. Dad didn’t know that though. He thought, _oh this is what the gays do, better show my gay son that I love and support him by taking him to join his people._ ” He let out a barking laugh. “And then he had the audacity to start a _riot_ while we were there.”

“Whaaaat? Spill.”

Daichi rolled his eyes. “At the parade, some bigots were protesting, shouting at people that they’re going to hell and shit. Ya know, classic homophobic behavior.”

“Of course.”

“Dad got pissed. So he did what he does best. Caused a scene. First he just started _slinging_ curses at them. I swear, he unleashed the full force of forty years of toxic masculinity and just _railed_ them until they were screaming back at him.” Daichi groaned. “It escalated to the point that he was rolling up his sleeves, ready to throw down. He had a gang of gay bikers at his back and the homophobes were totally shitting themselves but they refused to back down from a bunch of _queers_. A fight broke out.” He reached up and rubbed his eyes. “Some nice drag queens pulled me onto a float to stay out of harm’s way as Dad and the bikers just started wailing on these bigots until the cops showed up and everybody scattered.”

Koushi laughed and leaned into his side. “Nooo I love your dad! That’s so intense!”

“Yeah well, it’s not over.”

“ _Yessss_ tell me more.”

“Turns out, Dad recognized one of the guys he beat up. A high ranking official in the local government. Dad started harassing the mayor’s office, trying to get him, a guy that preached about equality and support for the lgbt community, to explain why he had an honest to god white supremacist working for him. It got so out of hand that Dad had rallied half the city to protest and riot until the mayor finally fired the guy and made a formal apology. To earn back the favor of the community, he hired a black trans woman to fill the space the white supremacist vacated. So I'd say it was a total win. He'd accept nothing less, after all.”

“Jesus, your dad is so cool,” Koushi said. “Now _that’s_ an ally.”

“Well… don’t praise him too much. He might’ve started out intending to help the gays but in the end I’m sure he was doing it because he loved the thrill of causing trouble and making authority bow to his will.”

“I feel like me and your dad have a lot in common,” Koushi mused.

“Shit, yeah I didn’t think of that.”

Koushi giggled and hugged his arm tighter. “So you've got an awesome dad. Tell me more. Why marketing and advertising? You like that stuff?”

“Nah. But I was good at it.” He blew out a deep breath and stared straight ahead. “I didn’t used to think that I needed to _like_ what I did. Work was work. It was just labor I needed to rent my body out to do so I could make money and live comfortably. I thought that for years. My whole life, honestly.” His eyes darted in Koushi’s direction. “Until I met you.”

Koushi’s cheeks warmed and his heart flipped.

“Me?”

“Yeah.” Daichi rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ve never met someone so blindly passionate about his work. That day… at the aquarium. I was blown away by the love and excitement I saw you put into what you were doing. From diving with the sharks to rambling about fish facts to leading the team checking up on the manta.” The corner of his lips ticked up. “I dunno. It made me a little envious. I want that. So I was thinking…” He shrugged again. “I’m going to start asking more questions. About this place. Get Hajime and Tooru and Issei to teach me. Maybe dinosaur bones and rocks and fine art can be _my_ deep blue sea.”

Koushi suddenly dug his heels into the path beneath his shoes. Daichi jerked slightly, unprepared for his sudden halt, and turned towards him.

“Something wrong?”

Instead of answering, Koushi removed his arm from Daichi’s elbow and fisted his hands in the front of his shirt. Just as he was pulling him forward, a big, fat, glob of water struck his nose, making him jump in surprise.

Daichi and Koushi blinked at each other for a few seconds. In that time, several more, and then more and more raindrops pelted them from the sky until they were in a very sudden torrential downpour, getting soaked through.

Koushi released a gasp, followed by a shrieking laugh.

“Fuuuuck!” Daichi gripped one of Koushi’s hands, prying it from his shirt, and turned to drag him through the rain in the direction of a small, ornate gazebo with a domed roof across the gardens.

They ran through quickly forming puddles, laughing and screaming and getting soggy with every second that passed in the relentless rain.

When they finally made it under the cover of the gazebo, Daichi let out a chuckling groan and shook his hair out, releasing Koushi’s hand to wring out the front of his shirt.

“Jesus that came outta nowhe—” he began, but Koushi didn’t let him finish.

He grabbed him by the face and dragged him into his lips. Daichi stumbled against him and then his arms circled his waist, holding him tight to his chest. The kiss remained chaste for a few long seconds before Koushi’s restless lips parted and his tongue darted out to seek entrance to Daichi’s mouth.

One lick was all it took to get Daichi to open up and soon they were kissing fervently, dripping wet and panting in desperation to get closer and closer.

In Koushi’s insistence for _more,_ Daichi staggered backwards, dragging him with him until he thumped against the railing circling the gazebo. Daichi’s hands roamed hungrily across Koushi’s back, palms and fingers strong and big against him.

Everything faded to the background as they kissed until they were gasping for air, Koushi’s fingers tangled in the hair at the back of Daichi’s head.

“Are…” Koushi panted against his open mouth. “You… ready to go… home?”

Before he could answer, they plunged into another round of hot, desperate kisses, breaking only to breathe.

“Yeah,” Daichi finally managed to say, voice low and rough. “Yeah. Yeah, fuck yeah.”

After yet another round of making out in which Koushi’s brain fogged completely over with hazy passion and the need to just throw down right then and there and get the pent up sexual tension _out_ already, Daichi broke away and gripped his hand tight in his.

“C’mon,” he said, the word gruff. “Let’s get the fuck outta here.”

Koushi didn’t dispute.

Instead of going the long way through the museum, they rushed through the pouring rain in the direction of the gate at the back of the gardens that led to the sidewalk that circled the building to the parking lot.

In the car, they paused to kiss again, quickly forgetting their mission and locking lips over the console between their seats until Daichi’s elbow connected with the horn and the _honk_ scared them apart.

Koushi sputtered and laughed into his hands as Daichi pulled out of their parking space and drove for the road.

They didn’t speak as they headed home, occasionally throwing each other shy, and not so shy, looks. Koushi was soaked to the bone and a little bit cold but it seemed inconsequential when he imagined what would happen when they got home.

_Doesn’t matter._

_I won’t be cold much longer._

_Won’t be wearing these clothes much longer._

At home, they practically sprinted all the way to the front door, racing through the rain with laughter, and then Koushi stood behind Daichi as he unlocked the door, prodding him in the back and commanding him to “hurry up, so slow, hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry.”

Finally, they burst inside and Koushi immediately jumped into Daichi’s chest, throwing his legs around his waist and kissing him hard and deep.

Daichi stumbled backwards, shoulder connecting with the wall, and then wrapped his arms tight under Koushi’s bottom to hold him up. He staggered through the house, bumping into and knocking things over left and right until they wound up in the middle of the living room. Daichi broke off their kissing to look around, get his bearings, and then turned for his bedroom. Halfway there, Koushi suddenly leaned back, putting his hands on his wet shoulders.

“Wait!”

Daichi stopped and blinked up at him. “What? What’s wrong?”

Koushi unlocked his ankles and dropped his legs. Daichi let him slide to the floor and released him as he turned and headed for the kitchen.

“I gotta feed the fish,” he said.

Daichi groaned. “Can’t it wait?”

“Fish gotta eat,” Koushi replied, stopping at the refrigerator to collect the food. “I’m not a good human but I _am_ a good fish owner. And fish gotta eat.”

Another groan followed him to the sink where his cutting board and knife waited, and Daichi joined him, fetching the dropper from the drying rack.

“Okay,” he muttered. “Fish gotta eat. Apparently they also gotta cockblock. That’s fine.”

Koushi giggled and sliced the tilapia. “Thank you for your understanding.”

Together, they did the rounds through the living room, only taking a moment to look at the space left over from Echo’s pool, the rug now deeply imprinted. Neither of them spoke as they divvied out the food among the four aquariums in the living room and Daichi went to wash his hands while Koushi stopped into his bedroom to feed Munchie.

Once that was finished, Koushi returned to the kitchen and calmly rinsed his knife and plate and scrubbed his hands with soap and hot water, erasing the smell of fish from his skin. The second he shut off the water, Daichi’s hands were on his hips, spinning him around and dragging him into his chest.

Koushi laughed through a kiss and then leaned his head back. “You didn’t let me dry—”

“Like we aren’t already soaked from the rain?” Daichi mumbled and cupped the back of his head, pulling him into another kiss.

Koushi giggled and slipped his arms around his neck, perfectly content to let Daichi half carry him across the house and through the door to Daichi’s bedroom. Inside, they struggled out of their clothes, clumsily tripping over jeans and clocking each other in the face with their elbows in their desperation.

By the time they finally fell into bed, they were breathless from laughter and the ordeal of removing wet clothes.

Daichi rolled Koushi underneath him and swiftly dragged the blanket up and over both of them, lowering on top of him to bury his face in the side of his throat and pepper his skin with kisses.

Koushi shivered, half from the chill of the cool air against his wet skin, and half from the tingling pleasure of Daichi’s lips.

“Mmmm, you’re so warm,” Koushi murmured and hugged him tight to his naked body, knees lifting on either side of his hips.

“Warm? Not _hot_?” Daichi said.

Koushi snorted and carved his fingers through his short black hair, forcing it to stand on end.

“You’re hot, but I was actually talking about temperature at the moment.”

“Even with my love handles, you think I’m hot?” Daichi lifted his head and peered down at him, eyebrow cocked.

“Are you kidding?” Koushi reached down and gripped Daichi’s waist, giving him a squeeze. “The love handles are my favorite part.”

Daichi grinned. “Good. I’ll keep them then.”

“I can _handle_ that.”

With a growl, Daichi nipped at Koushi’s cheeks and chin and he shrieked and laughed, wiggling and fighting against him until the touches moved from playful to fueled by desire.

Just when the air was beginning to feel _too_ heavy between them, Daichi lifted his head and blinked down at him, face flushed and hair a mess.

“Did you put Munchie’s tank lid on securely?”

Koushi stared back up at him. “Huh? Uhh… yes. Yeah.”

“Okay, good,” Daichi kissed him but Koushi’s mind was elsewhere all of a sudden.

 _Had_ he put the lid on securely?

“I mean, I think I did,” he said in a break of kissing.

“Koushi I swear to god…”

“No, no, I’m pretty sure I did.”

“If that bastard shows up in the middle—”

“I’m positive I did.”

Daichi gave him a wary look. “Do you want to go check?”

Koushi chewed on his bottom lip for long seconds. Finally he pushed Daichi to the side and scampered out from underneath him. “Just a quick check! I’m sure I did it right but just in case—”

Before he could make it through the door, Daichi caught him around the waist and tossed him back onto the bed. He laughed as he bounced on the mattress and then watched Daichi close his bedroom door and toss a towel on the floor, tucking it in the gap with his feet until it was completely blocked off.

“There,” he said, returning to the bed and covering Koushi’s body with his own. He planted sweet kisses against the side of his throat and nuzzled his ear. “We’re safe.”

“Okay,” Koushi said, breath hitching and hips bucking up against him. “I won’t argue. But I will say that you’re underestimating Munchie’s power and if you think that towel will be enough to stop him—”

“Shh, let me pretend.”

Koushi giggled and caught his face in both hands.

“Fine,” he said. “But when he finds us and slaps a tentacle right on your ass cheek while we’re boinking, you’re not allowed to blame me.”

“I can and I will,” Daichi said stubbornly. “Now shut up and let’s boink.”

Koushi let out a laugh and dragged him down for a kiss.

"Yeah. Let's."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [drop in the ocean Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4akQJRtF0tUf2UPd6AjnzD?si=sYEbaQ1LQB6CCeALbpylXA)
> 
> Next Time:  
> Riot


	6. Troubled waters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So close

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daisuga Week prompt: 3 am
> 
> Mood:  
> [Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFEBriOa1x0)  
> "The sweet surrender of silence forces me to live alone  
> Locked and loaded, where the hell is peace of mind?  
> I wait on you inside the bottom of the deep blue sea  
> I wait on you inside the bottom of the deep blue"

“Three a.m.”

Daichi peeled his eyes open, blinked against the early morning light pouring in from the window, and looked sleepily into Koushi’s face where it rested on his bare shoulder.

“Huh?” he croaked.

“Asahi’s and Noya’s plane is flying in at _three a.m._ ,” Koushi clarified. “Can you fucking believe that? Who the fuck books a flight in the middle of the goddamn night?”

Daichi hummed and kissed his forehead, tightening his arms around him. “Well there’s time zones and stuff.”

“I don’t fucking care. I promised them I’d pick them up from the airport before I found out when the flight was coming in and now I’m stuck having to actually do it and _uuugghh_ I don’t wanna go to the airport at three a.m.!”

Daichi chuckled. “I’ll go with you.”

“I mean… yeah, Daichi, what am I gonna pick them up in… my Vespa?”

He frowned. “So when you said you were going to pick them up… you always meant _we_ were going to pick them up?”

A sweetly innocent expression crossed Koushi’s flushed face and he fluttered his eyelashes.

“You bastard,” Daichi muttered.

Koushi pushed up on one arm and leaned over him, several locks of wild, grey hair falling over his forehead and into his gleaming eyes.

“C’mon, Daichi,” he cooed. “Like you weren’t going to offer to come anyway? It’s _so_ obvious how much you wanna be with me for every waking moment.”

“Three a.m. isn’t typically a _waking moment_ for me.”

“It was last night.”

“Hm. True.”

“So you’re willing to sacrifice all your sleeping moments to spend more time with me? That’s what we’ve learned?

“Like hell—”

“So then you _don’t_ wanna be my boyfriend?”

Daichi’s eyes widened.

Koushi pouted his lips and traced circles on Daichi’s chest with his fingertip.

“What am I… just a piece of ass? And here I thought we had a special connection…”

“I wanna be boyfriends!” Daichi blurted out, quickly cupping the back of Koushi’s head and holding him still as he maintained eye contact. “I’ve wanted to be boyfriends since the day you moved in!”

Koushi’s cheeks flushed a darker shade of red. “Whaaaat, Daichi you’ve been after me all along? Why didn’t you make a move?” He paused and then added, “Also, I _knew_ that but I’m a little surprised you’re actually admitting it, wow. Does _anything_ embarrass you?”

“I couldn’t just _make a move_ ,” Daichi scoffed. “On top of it being totally inappropriate for your landlord to come on to you before even getting to know you… I’m terrified of hot people.”

“Ohhhh? I’m hot? You think I’m hot?”

“Shut up.”

“No, no…” Koushi climbed on top of him, straddling his hips with a sneaky smile. “Go on. Tell me more.”

Daichi knew full well that he was on the verge of getting teased, but he liked the direction it was going, so he decided not to protest.

“Before you showed up,” he said, putting his hands on Koushi's bare thighs while heat pooled in his stomach. “I swore I was going to be mean and intimidating to whoever applied to rent the spare room. So that I wouldn’t get stuck with another deadbeat.”

“Uh huh… and what actually happened was…” Koushi cocked an eyebrow.

“I took one look at your stupidly pretty face and here we are.”

“Oh, I’m _pretty_?”

“Hmhm. But like… in a stupid kinda way.”

Koushi snickered and leaned down to press a gentle kiss to his lips.

“If it makes you feel better,” he whispered. “The only reason I checked your flyer on the community board in the first place is because I watched you hang it up and thought you were a total babe.”

Daichi blinked. “Seriously?”

“Yup. I thought maybe you were offering a guitar lesson or something and I was like, uhh, yeah I can fake interest in guitar if it means I get to flirt with Mister Broad Shoulders Thick Thighs.” He playfully licked Daichi’s top lip. “Imagine how stoked I was to learn the truth, that you were renting out a room, and so soon after I had been evicted? I’m telling you Daichi…” His hand trailed down his chest. “The universe wants us to be boyfriends. And who are we to go against the universe?”

“I agree,” Daichi said, almost too eagerly. “Yeah, it would be awful if we tried to fight it, you know. Something bad could happen. So I guess we should just… be boyfriends. For the universe.”

Koushi grinned. His eyes wandered over Daichi’s face and then narrowed mischievously.

“You kinda wanna boink again, don’t you?”

Daichi gulped. “I absolutely wanna boink again.”

“Well then let’s—”

Before he could get the rest of that statement out- and _damn it_ Daichi wanted him to get the rest of that statement out- a sudden crash sounded from somewhere outside the bedroom.

Koushi sighed.

“Well. At least he didn’t interrupt last night. Gotta give credit where credit is due.” He nodded somberly.

Daichi clicked his tongue and dragged him down. “No the fuck we don’t.”

They kissed sweetly for a moment, and _aaahhhh_ Daichi finally had a _boyfriend_.

A _boyfriend._

Wow.

Holy shit.

An honest to god boyfriend. That he _lived with._

Truly, he had ascended. This was the peak. His luck had come all at once and while part of him wanted to revel in the good fortune, another part of him was suspicious, painfully so, that at any second, his luck would be completely dried up.

And something terrible would happen.

_No, no, don’t think like that._

What could possibly go wrong?

Everything was… _perfect_.

Their mission to move Echo had been successful. Koushi’s friends would be flying in at three a.m. that night and by noon tomorrow, this whole ordeal could be done and over with. Echo would be free and Daichi and Koushi would be _boyfriends_ and yeah, it would be a little bit sad, in a happy way. But Daichi would help Koushi through it.

Because they were _boyfriends_.

Another crash made them break off their kiss and Koushi let out a sigh.

“Alright. Unless you wanna be completely out of mugs, I’m gonna go get that ass hat.”

Daichi moaned and dropped his head back on the pillow. Koushi laughed and crawled out of bed, pausing to grab one of Daichi’s t-shirts off the floor. He gave it a sniff and then pulled it on over his head, shaking his hair out.

“You know,” he said, walking to the door and casting a coy look over his shoulder. “I don’t have to work until three p.m. today… and it’ll only take a few minutes to get Munchie put away…”

Daichi gulped.

“So don’t move,” Koushi commanded, pulling the door open. “I’ll be right back!”

He darted from the room and Daichi rolled onto his side, slapping his hands over his face.

He had a boyfriend.

Finally.

Daichi couldn’t wait to tell his dad.

* * *

He couldn’t believe it was almost over.

In twelve hours, Asahi and Noya would be home. In less than twelve more hours, Koushi would be on a boat in the ocean, returning Echo to where she belonged.

It was almost over.

To say Koushi felt conflicted by that realization was an understatement.

Thank god, he wouldn’t have to sneak around anymore.

Oh no, he would have to say goodbye soon.

_Haha… that sucks man._

He tried not to let the sadness overwhelm him yet. Not now. He wouldn’t let the tears fall now, when he still had hours between now and then.

At the moment, he had to wear a brave face, show up for work, and do his duty. It was too risky for him to act suspicious now, when he was so close to the end.

_The… end._

He bit back the fresh wave of tears that threatened to fall at the thought.

No, no, no, no.

There was no time to cry. Right now he was passing through the back door to the aquarium and he was about to be seen by coworkers and bosses and… there was just no time.

Just one more day.

And it would all be over.

He could make it until then.

As he walked up the hallway, steeling himself against his emotions and looking only at the future, he didn’t notice the eyes that followed him from the people he passed, standing in doorways or pausing against the wall of the corridor.

He didn’t notice until he was nearly at the door to the break room, hand reaching out for the handle. The prickling sensation of dozens of eyes finally drew his attention over his shoulder, catching his coworkers’ looks before they hurriedly turned away, acted busy.

Before he could even wonder what it meant, the break room door was opening and Koutarou was suddenly in front of him.

“Hey Ko—”

Koutarou’s large hands grabbed him by the shoulders, his wide eyes bored into his.

“Koushi you gotta get the fuck outta here ri—”

He didn’t get the rest of the frantic words out of his mouth before another voice was interrupting.

“There he is.”

Ms. Tobe appeared in the doorway behind Koutarou, expression steely as she leveled Koushi in a cold stare.

“This is the one, officers.”

Koutarou was pushed out of the way and suddenly new hands were on Koushi, grabbing him, forcing him to spin around as his wrists were dragged to his back and cuffed.

“Koushi Sugawara, you are under arrest for theft of government property. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.”

As the officer prattled off his rights, Koushi zoned out, vision going blurry and pulse rushing in his ears.

… oh.

This… wasn’t how this was supposed to happen.

So close. Koushi had been so close.

_Haha… this sucks man._

“Do you understand the rights I have just read to you?” the officer said and Koushi snorted.

“Yeah.”

So close.

* * *

Daichi had just finished putting the living room back together, cleaning up all remaining traces of Echo’s temporary stay there, when the heavy pounding filled the house from the direction of the front door.

Humming softly under his breath, Daichi made his way to the door and peeked through the peephole.

Uh oh.

Four police officers stood impatiently on his porch.

Uh oh.

Daichi swallowed hard and blew out a breath. It was okay. There was nothing for them to find.

He pulled the door open and suddenly a piece of paper and a badge were held in front of him.

“Police. We have a warrant to search the premises for stolen government property.”

“Uhm…” Daichi moved to the side. “Come in?”

The officers didn’t waste time in barging rudely in and spreading out through the house, searching high and low.

“May I ask what this is about?” Daichi asked one of them as he went into the kitchen and started checking cupboards.

“The man that lives here, Koushi Sugawara, is in our custody. We have reason to believe that he stole a live animal from the aquarium at which he works.”

“Wha-what?” Daichi’s heart jumped at the mention of Koushi in custody. “Like… a fish? He has several home aquariums but I haven’t noticed him bringing any new fish home recently—”

“Not that kind of fish,” the officer interrupted. “A shark. You’re Daichi Sawamura, the owner of this house?”

“Yes…”

“Have you noticed anything suspicious about your housemate in the past week or so?”

“No… of course not. Koushi is…” he cleared his throat when it tightened. “Koushi is a great roommate. He doesn’t seem like the type to break the law…”

“Is there any other place where something like a shark could be held that you know about? A garage or basement or storage shed?”

“No…” Daichi crossed his arms over his chest. “Why is Koushi the one you’re suspecting? What evidence do you have that it was him and not some other—”

“We are not at liberty to discuss the details of this case to people not directly involved.”

“I’m his landlord and housemate and you are currently digging around _my_ house, in _my_ things. What about me is _not_ directly involved?”

The cop eyed him and Daichi squared his shoulders and gave him a glare.

Finally, the officer backed down and moved to Daichi’s refrigerator, pulling it open with a sigh.

“We have video evidence from a street camera of Mr. Sugawara driving one of the aquarium’s transport vehicles on the night the shark went missing.”

_Fuck._

Luckily, Daichi didn’t have to worry about replying because the other officers walked into the kitchen.

“All clear,” one said. “No sign of the fish.”

The officer at the fridge closed the door with a sigh. “Nothing in here. If he had it butchered, he’s storing it somewhere else.”

_Butchered._

Fury shot through Daichi and he clenched his hands into tight fists.

“You don’t know Koushi,” he said, voice low.

All four cops looked at him.

“If you can think for a second that he would ever harm a single one of the animals he cares for, then you don’t have a fucking clue what you’re talking about.” He stepped to the side and pointed to the front door. “Your search is over. Get the _fuck_ out.”

They looked offended that he would dare to speak to them in such a manner, but rather than start something Daichi was fully ready to finish, they turned and left the house.

Daichi slammed the door behind them and angrily flipped the lock in place.

What the fuck.

Koushi had been arrested?

_Fuck, fuck, fuck._

Now what?

What was Daichi supposed to do?

Bail… could he post bail?

No, no way. Daichi was broke.

So then what…

He walked into the living room and started pacing, hands in his hair.

Bad. This was bad. They had video evidence of Koushi. How could Daichi help? Echo was safe now but for how long? Now that they knew it was Koushi that did it, they’d be looking into his friends again. Ryuu’s store might get searched again.

What happened when they _did_ get their hands on Echo?

She’d just go back to the aquarium?

_Forever?_

No, no. There’s no way that Koushi would allow that. Not even jail would keep him from freeing that shark.

And if not him then… Kiyoko.

What about Kiyoko?

Daichi fumbled his phone out of his pocket but paused.

He didn’t have her number.

_Fuck._

He didn’t have _any_ of their numbers. Ryuu… Kiyoko… Koutarou… Tetsurou… Asahi and Noya…

Daichi was alone.

“What do I do?” he whispered.

His eyes drifted across the room and landed on the freshwater tank. Icky swam languidly through the water, accompanied by Moose.

They needed Koushi.

_Daichi_ needed Koushi.

He had only had a boyfriend for half a day. There was no way in fucking hell he was going to let him slip through his fingers now.

Daichi dialed a number and lifted the phone to his ear.

After three rings, a gruff voice answered.

_“Hey.”_

Daichi gulped.

“I need your help.”

* * *

Maybe he should have made a sign.

Daichi didn’t even know what Koushi’s friends looked like. How was he supposed to know who to pick up?

He should have made a sign. Or gotten Ryuu to come with him.

Then again, in the few minutes that he did see Ryuu when he had shown up randomly at Daichi’s house earlier that evening, he didn’t do a good job of convincing him he’d be up for something like this, simple as it was.

Daichi had never seen a grown man cry like _that_ before.

Blubbering and wailing and flopping down on Daichi’s living room floor like a toddler throwing a full-blown temper tantrum… it was honestly a shock to see the man behave in such a way. He didn’t _seem_ like the type to fly off the handle over this little bump in the road.

And that's what Daichi decided it was. A bump in the road. Troubled waters.

He refused to panic any more than he already had. Panicking did nothing. He needed to move. He needed to work.

And not even Ryuu sobbing into his rug about being a failure of a friend and letting “the worst possible thing” happen to Koushi could derail Daichi right now.

First he needed to pick Asahi and Noya up from the airport.

God damn it, he should have made a sign.

How the hell was he supposed to know which ones they were? He had thought that the fact that it was a three a.m. flight would mean there’d be less people to choose from but for some reason, the airport was crowded.

People, yawning and dragging their feet, ambled through the gates, and Daichi was quickly overwhelmed, looking from face to face in hopes that one would just _scream_ “I’m Koushi’s best friend.”

Just when he was thinking he’d have to start calling out their names and make a fool of himself, a voice drew his attention.

“ _Hahaha, Asahi! Hold it together!_ ”

Daichi’s head jerked in the direction of the boisterous laughter and he caught sight of a short man swinging a backpack onto his shoulder and propping up a much larger man where he leaned against him with an exhausted expression.

_Asahi and Noya._

_Found them._

_Thank God._

Daichi made his way through the throngs of people until he stood in front of the couple.

“Asahi?”

The larger man swiveled his head in Daichi’s direction, blinking his brown eyes sleepily at him. His long brown hair was tied in a messy bun at the back of his head but several locks fell free against his sunburnt cheeks and forehead.

He didn’t look at all like he imagined him. Koushi had said that his best friend was cowardly and good for nothing but fashion sense and mothering.

This guy though… he looked like a rich thug, honestly. Scary and intimidating but well dressed and handsome.

Noya, on the other hand, looked exactly as Daichi imagined him. Koushi had said he was a firecracker in the form of a man and yeah, that’s what faced him and cocked his head to the side, blinking big, curious eyes at him.

“Mmhuh?” Asahi mumbled, struggling to stand on his own feet, one arm circling Noya’s shoulders. “Who’re’ya.”

Noya let out a barking laugh and threw an arm around Asahi’s waist. “Sorry about him! He was scared about the flight so I made him drink like six of those mini bottles of vodka!”

Daichi hummed. “I’m Daichi Sawamura.”

Asahi straightened, blinking slowly. “Koushi’s… roommate? Why’re… where is he?”

“Uh,” Daichi looked around. “How about we get in the car and I’ll fill you in?”

“Are you kidnapping us, Daichi Sawamura?” Noya asked cheerfully. “I don’t mind but if you hurt my boyfriend I’ll kill you!”

“No, no kidnapping,” Daichi said. He turned and led them across the airport. “I’ve had enough kidnapping for one week.”

“Haha, sounds fun!”

“Something tells me you get along really well with Koushi.”

“Yep!”

They left the airport and Daichi showed them to his car. Once they were all inside and buckled in, Noya and Asahi both in the backseat like Daichi was their taxi driver, he cleared his throat.

“So… Koushi asked me to pick you guys up for him,” he said, even though it wasn’t entirely true. He hadn’t spoken to Koushi since the arrest, after all. Apparently he had used his one free phone call on Ryuu, hence his sudden arrival at Daichi’s house and subsequent meltdown.

“Where is he?” Noya asked, leaning forward to peek around the seat at him. “He seemed like… _really_ eager for us to get back home.”

“Uh… well…”

“Wait! Let me guess!”

Daichi paused, glancing at him in the corner of his eye.

Noya grinned wide. “He’s in jail, isn’t he?”

Daichi gulped, tapping the steering wheel with his finger. “Yes…”

“ _Hahaha I knew it!_ ”

“ _What?_ ” Asahi sat forward and the seatbelt locked, causing him to flop back against his seat. “What do you mean? Why… why is he in jail? What happened? Oh no…” He gripped either side of his head. “Oh no. This is all my fault. I knew I shouldn’t have left. What was I thinking? Oh no…”

“Babe, calm down,” Noya said, sitting back and taking Asahi’s hands. “It’s not your fault. Remember? We talked about this. Kou’s gonna do what Kou does best. You’re not responsible for his choices.” He leaned in and kissed him gently on the cheek. “Besides… it’s no use freaking out before we even know the full story. So let’s just chill and listen, okay? Breathe.”

Daichi watched them quietly.

Noya held Asahi’s hands in both of his and coaxed him into breathing deep and slow, holding his stare in his until he had relaxed from his tense position.

That seemed… nice.

Daichi wanted that kind of connection.

Instead, his boyfriend of one day was in jail.

Well.

He supposed that was nice too, in and of itself.

Felt like he’d never have a dull day if Koushi was his partner.

“Okay,” Noya finally said, looking at Daichi. “So? What’s the sitch?”

“It’s not Koushi’s fault,” Daichi said. “I mean… it _is_ … but he had a good reason.”

“For?”

“Kidnapping a shark from the aquarium.”

“ _What?_ ” Asahi erupted into panic again. “Why? How? Oh nooooo, this is all my fault! I never should have left—”

“It was justified!” Daichi interrupted. “That lady he works with, Ms. Tobe, she was forging documents to keep Echo at the aquarium! Sure, there was a better way for him handle it, but he kidnapped Echo to release her in the ocean like she deserves!”

Asahi and Noya went silent, staring at him with wide eyes.

Daichi gulped. “It’s true that he could have done it in a different way. But he’s _trying_ to do the right thing. Please don’t think of this as a mistake. Don’t think of him as someone you can’t leave alone because he gets into trouble. I think it’s incredible. _He’s_ incredible and amazing and he deserves your support.”

He looked away, through the windshield at the parking garage in which they sat.

“I freaked out too, when it happened. I mean… he stole a fucking _shark_. And had her in a pool in _my living room_.”

Noya sputtered.

“But… he saw injustice and leapt to fix it. To do what’s right, without thinking of the consequences. I would _never_ have the courage to do something as ballsy as that. I admire him. I think we all should.”

The car fell silent and Daichi reached up and rubbed his eyes.

_Ahh… lame._

He couldn’t believe it had only been a few hours and he already missed his boyfriend of one day.

Several moments ticked by and then Noya hummed.

“So he was eager for us to get home so he could use my boat.”

“Ms. Tobe has a lot of control over the docks,” Asahi murmured. “He’d need a private boat.”

“Yeah, definitely.”

Asahi looked at Daichi, all panic erased from his suddenly calm face.

“So? What’s the plan?”

Daichi breathed out a breath of relief and faced forward to finally start the engine.

“I’ll fill you in at home.”

* * *

“What’re ya in for?”

Koushi straightened away from the wall, stretching his neck from side to side with a groan. He had slept in plenty of shitty places in his life. But a concrete bench in a holding cell at the police station was probably one of the shittiest.

He rolled his head to the side and looked at the man that had spoken to him where he sat a short distance away on the bench. He wore ragged clothes and chewed on his fingernails, bloodshot eyes looking him up and down erratically.

“I stole a shark,” Koushi confessed, stretching his legs out in front of him and reaching towards his toes to loosen his muscles.

The man cocked his head to the side. “S’that a kinda euphemism? Shark… new typa drug?”

“Nah,” Koushi sighed and stretched his arms over his head next, letting out a groan when his back popped. “Literal shark. From the aquarium where I work.”

“Whoa… intense,” the man said. “I pissed on a cop car.”

Koushi snorted. “That’s a crime? And here I thought that was a community service.”

The man grinned. “What were ya gonna do with the shark?”

Koushi stared across the cell, through the glass that separated them from the busy police precinct beyond. “I was gonna let her go.”

“In the ocean?”

“Yeah. It’s where she belongs. But my boss wanted to keep her in captivity. For money.”

“Hey. That sounds like community service too.” His chest puffed. “Lookit us. Two good, upstanding citizens.”

Koushi chuckled. “Yeah… look at us.”

“She your friend? The shark?”

His chest tightened and he lowered his gaze to the grimy floor beneath his shoes.

“Yeah,” he whispered. “For about nine years now.”

“Shit. You known her that long?”

“Hmhm… we used to swim together in the ocean. Until she got sick and the aquarium took her in to rehabilitate her.”

“Now she’s fit to return, eh? That’s a pretty story. Real life _Free Willy_.”

“I’ve never seen it. How… how does it end?”

The man gave him a crooked smile. “Whaddya think? They free Willy.”

Koushi sniffled. “That’s nice. I hope this story ends like that too.”

“Ya never know!”

“Hmm… well, since I’m here, it doesn’t look great,” Koushi admitted. He clasped his hands in his lap and twiddled his thumbs. “I’m hoping that my friends will complete the mission and free her before they find her and take her back to the aquarium.” A sharp sting brought tears to his eyes and he blinked them away. “Though I’m sad that I won’t get to say goodbye.”

The man hummed and crossed his arms over his chest. “Didn’t ya say you swam with her before she got sick? Just do that again.”

A small, sad smile touched Koushi’s lips. “I'm hoping for something like that. But… she’s an adult now. There’s no guarantee that she’ll stick around once she’s released. It’s… happened before. I thought maybe the fish we released would come back to my diving spot to visit me but…” He huffed out a soft laugh, though there was no humor in it. “Never saw them again.”

“Shame. Guess they were just too happy ‘bout bein’ free again, huh?”

“Yeah…”

The man sniffed and crossed his arms over his chest. “Either way. Ya doin’ somethin’ good. We’re just two good, upstanding citizens, you and I.”

Koushi smiled and leaned his head back against the wall.

“Yeah.”

* * *

Okay.

Daichi wasn’t expecting this.

“ _Whoooaaa_ what a turn out!”

The voice drew his attention over his shoulder to where Koutarou and Tetsurou walked up, holding coffee. Koutarou offered the extra one in his hands to Daichi and he took it gratefully.

“Yeah, man you did good,” Tetsurou said, leaning around Daichi to look at the massive crowd that had gathered together on the street. “You’d never guess it was all put together last minute.”

“We made a sign!” Koutarou nudged Tetsurou. “Show him!”

Tetsurou spun the wooden plank in his hand, lifting the large cardboard sign from where it leaned against his shoulder.

“Tadaaaa.”

Daichi glanced over it.

_Don’t JUMP the Shark_

_Free Her <3_

“Cute,” Daichi said. “The hearts are a good touch.”

“I did those!” Koutarou said proudly.

“Very nice.”

“Yoooo!” Another voice drew their attention and they faced the new group that approached.

Takahiro and Issei walked up and Daichi sighed as he took in what they were wearing.

“That’s overkill,” Daichi said.

Takahiro danced in place in his giant shark costume and Issei did some lazy, robotic moves with his arms.

“We wanna lead the cavalry,” Issei said.

“Fuck no.”

“Boo…” they said simultaneously.

Three more joined them and Daichi turned to greet Hajime, Tooru, and Keiji. All three were dressed in suits, clearly having come straight from the museum. Koutarou perked at their arrival and Tetsurou elbowed him playfully.

“Hey,” Daichi greeted them. “I’m surprised you guys were able to get off early.”

“Are you kidding?” Hajime snorted. “We just had to tell the boss we were protesting the aquarium and he gave _everyone_ the rest of the day off.”

“Never misses a chance to cause problems for his rival,” Tooru agreed, pointing at the crowd.

Daichi followed his point to see his boss, shirtless and decked out in red body paint and waving two signs that said, _Jim Ono is a crook!_ and _We demand justice!_ in bright red letters.

“Huh…” Daichi tapped the side of his coffee. “Make sure he doesn’t break anything, okay?”

“Got it,” Hajime said.

“Honestly, Daichi, I’m impressed,” Keiji said. “How did you gather so many people in just one day?”

“Ahh…” Daichi rubbed his eyes. “Well. I didn’t. I left that to the professional.”

Before anyone could ask what he meant, a new voice was speaking.

“Talkin’ shit about me?”

Everyone turned.

A middle-aged man greeted them with a grunt and a small lift of his chin. He wore a pair of faded jeans, a white t-shirt, and a weathered jacket of brown leather. His shaggy black hair was swept back from his face, silver at the temples. His chin and cheeks were covered with a clean cut beard and mustache, spotted here and there with white hairs, and between his lips was a thick, smoking cigar.

He reached up and removed his dark sunglasses to level them with a piercing stare, sucking on the cigar until ash broke off and fell to the ground.

“Hey Dad,” Daichi said.

“Oh my god,” Takahiro said, voice low. “Daichi’s famous Dad… at last…” He thrust a hand in the air, drawing Mikio Sawamura’s eyes to him. “Mr. Sawamura, it’s great to finally meet you. Please regale us with embarrassing stories about Daichi, please.”

“No,” Daichi interrupted. “Shut up. Or I’ll kick your ass, Bastard.”

Takahiro clicked his tongue. “Don’t speak to your father like that…”

“I was talking to _you_ Shit Face.”

“Oh.”

Mikio pulled the cigar from his mouth and ground it against the stone bench beside which he stood. Once the embers were out, he slipped the half smoked cigar into the pocket inside his jacket and walked up.

“What’re we waitin’ around for?” he asked, voice rough. “We doin’ this or not?”

“Uh,” Daichi checked his watch. “Yeah, I guess so. Are you ready?”

“You kiddin’ me? This shit’s in my blood.” Mikio reached behind him and lifted a megaphone where it hung from a strap that cut across his chest. He turned and faced the crowd, putting the megaphone to his mouth.

“ _Alright, listen up, folks!_ ” He said and his voice boomed over the massive crowd and silenced their conversation. “ _We’re marching! Our mission is to get Jim Ono to drop the charges against Koushi Sugawara and free the city’s favorite shark!”_

A chorus of cheers erupted from the crowd, the loudest of which coming from Daichi’s boss.

“ _WOOOO FUCK JIM ONO!_ ” he bellowed, jumping and giving a pitiful attempt at a midair split.

“ _We’re gonna be peaceful!”_ Mikio went on. “ _Until they push us to get violent!_ ”

Daichi’s boss cheered again and waved his signs around.

“ _Ready? Then let’s goooooo!”_

Mikio thrust a fist into the air, turned on his heel and powered forward. The mob surged to follow, numerous signs lifting high above heads.

Daichi chased after Mikio as he removed the megaphone strap from around his neck.

“Which one of you wants to lead chants?” he asked.

Koutarou jumped high off of the ground, shouting “ _ME! ME PLEASE ME, ME, ME, ME!”_

Mikio tossed the megaphone to him and Koutarou let out a laughing cheer.

He immediately put the megaphone to his mouth and walked backwards as he addressed the marching protestors behind him.

“ _Alright everybody! Let’s get chanting! Repeat after me! Heeey Jim Ono!”_

“ _Heeey Jim Ono!_ ” the crowd roared in unison.

“ _Ya better free Echo!”_

“ _Ya better free Echo!”_

Koutarou commanded the crowd with boisterous energy and they responded in kind, waving their signs and pumping their fists.

It was incredible.

So many people…

Daichi glanced over at his father. It was a risk to even attempt to say it but…

“Hey Dad.”

“Hm?”

“Thanks. For your help.”

“Fuck authority. You made the right decision, coming to me.”

Daichi chuckled. “Yeah, I agree.”

Mikio’s dark eyes darted into his face and his thick, black eyebrows lowered. “You prepared to face the consequences?”

“Yeah. I think so.”

“Hm. Look at you. This fish mean that much to you?”

Daichi gulped and looked forward.

Oh. Now was his chance.

“Well it’s more than that,” he said. “I _do_ care about Echo. I want to see her get released, like she deserves. But… it’s also…” His chest burned and he reached up to scratch the back of his head. “The guy… the one that stole the shark and is in jail right now?”

“Your roommate?”

“Yeah. He’s, uhm. Well. It’s only been a day. But. He’s…” Daichi cleared his throat and stared straight ahead. “My boyfriend.”

A few seconds passed in silence- save for the uproarious chanting from Koutarou and the mob behind them- and then a hand slammed into Daichi’s back, making him stumble a few steps and nearly drop his coffee.

“Wha—” he looked up at Mikio.

“Look at you,” Mikio interrupted. His eyes were narrow, the corner of his lips ticked up. “What a fuckin’ _man_.”

Daichi blinked rapidly. “Hu-huh?”

“Rebelling against authority for your man… I wouldn’t want it any other way. Damn I raised a real one.”

A surprised laugh escaped Daichi’s mouth and he rubbed his sore eyes.

“So…” Mikio went on. “A _shark thief_. Shit, I didn’t take that as your type, Dai. What a relief. Sounds like I’ll get along with him.”

“You _will_. Fuck, Dad. You’re going to love him. You two will have so much to talk about. All of it illegal.”

Mikio grinned. “Good.”

Daichi smiled and took a slow drink of his coffee. As he lowered it, Mikio slapped his back again and then threw an arm around his shoulders and dragged him close, giving him a tight squeeze.

“Proud of you, Dai.”

Daichi’s mouth went dry and he gulped.

“Thanks…”

The march continued until the crowd was on the aquarium’s doorstep and Kiyoko was at the door, opening it for Daichi.

Mikio, Koutarou, and Tetsurou went with him, Koutarou passing the megaphone over to Takahiro before doing so.

“Mr. Ono knows you’re coming,” Kiyoko informed Daichi as they strode swiftly through the aquarium. “I’ll be right there to back you up. Have you prepared what you want to say?”

Daichi blew out a breath. “Yes and no? I’ve only had since three a.m. to even think about this so…”

“You’ll be alright. He’s already nervous about the bad publicity he's getting. It was in the paper this morning.”

Daichi glanced over at Mikio with a surprised blink.

He shrugged. "The editor owed me a favor, so what?"

"Thanks to that," Kiyoko said, "he's feeling the pressure. I think it'll be easy to get him to back down."

“Good.” Daichi swept his hands through his hair, barely stumbling this time when his dad’s strong hand slammed into his back, a poorly executed attempt at calming him, he presumed.

As they crossed the aquarium, more and more aquarists joined the group, asking Koutarou and Tetsurou about Koushi in hushed voices. Kiyoko led them through a staff door to the back rooms and they traveled through hallways for a long minute before finally reaching their destination.

With one more look to be sure he was ready, Kiyoko opened the door and Daichi walked inside Jim Ono’s office.

Oh good, Ms. Tobe was already there.

That would save time.

“You’re not allowed to be in here,” Ms. Tobe said from her place standing next to the desk behind which Jim sat, wearing the aquarium uniform and looking nervous as he clasped his hands hard in front of him, knuckles white. “Please leave immediately.”

“Please eat my dick and balls immediately,” Mikio snapped and Koutarou and Tetsurou _ooooohed_ behind them.

“Dad c’mon,” Daichi mumbled. “Chill.”

Mikio shrugged.

Daichi moved in front of Jim’s desk and lifted his chin, looking down at him and trying to appear more confident than he was at the moment.

“Mr. Ono,” he said, voice steady and strong. “We are here to demand the charges against Koushi Sugawara be dropped.”

“He stole a _shark_ ,” Ms. Tobe said, arms crossed over her chest.

“And _you_ forged the documents that pushed him to do it,” Daichi said smoothly.

“Wait.”

Everyone looked at Jim. He blinked.

“What’s this about documents?”

Kiyoko stepped forward and placed a folder down on the desk in front of him. “Earlier this month, I cleared Echo for reintroduction. Ms. Tobe changed it in order to keep her here. Koushi found out about it and that's what prompted him to take Echo.”

Jim stared down at the file, eyes wide.

“What… I…” he looked up at Ms. Tobe. “You told me he acted unprovoked! What in the hell were you _thinking_?”

Ms. Tobe gave Daichi and Kiyoko a glare before turning to Jim and pressing her hands down on the desk. “Use your _head,_ Jim. Those shows that Koushi does with Echo bring in _thousands_ every weekend! It’s just _one fish_! You’re an _idiot_ if you let her go!”

Jim’s fist crushed into the desk, making everything atop it shake. “How do you expect to continue making that money when you convinced me to put her _fucking handler in jail?_ ”

Ms. Tobe clamped her mouth shut.

“Also,” Tetsurou piped in, drawing their attention. “Ms. Tobe, where do those thousands every weekend go? Because all our equipment is failing and you’ve been cutting the budget in just about _every_ department.”

“Also, also,” Koutarou said. “Nice new car, Ms. Tobe. I didn’t realize you could afford a Bentley on the wages given at a government funded aquarium whose main purpose is to conserve and rehabilitate sick animals.”

Jim’s eyes slowly turned to Ms. Tobe again.

“ _What?_ ”

Daichi glanced at Mikio, getting a thumbs up in response.

Well.

_Easy peasy._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very weak interpretation of the prompt, oops
> 
> [drop in the ocean Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4akQJRtF0tUf2UPd6AjnzD?si=nW0yHdMMTM2T0ZWKwTTKzA)
> 
> Next Time:  
> Goodbye


	7. Lucky proximity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally free

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daisuga Week prompt: free
> 
> Warning: there's a bit of recreational drug use in this chapter
> 
> Moods:  
> [Goodbye](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RkRjDvrmzo)  
> "Seems like yesterday I was a child  
> Just a ripple in the folds of time  
> I wish you well, I want to see you smile  
> It's alright, goodbye  
> Goodbye"
> 
> [Follow Through](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m00y4jkp9SA)  
> "I think you will find  
> That the freckles that speckle your back can’t help but remind  
> Me of the night, the pale moonlight  
> Shined off the bay  
> And I’ll make you happy, hon  
> If you let me feel a ray of your sun  
> And although this promise to you  
> Might seem hollow, I will follow through"

“Here, here, don’t lettem see.”

Koushi’s new friend of misfortune, Rodney, murmured the command and he shifted on the bench, shielding Koushi from view of the holding cell’s windows as he lifted the burning joint to his lips and sucked a deep drag of smoke into his lungs.

He held the breath in and passed the joint back over for Rodney to take his own hit. Koushi peeked over Rodney’s shoulder at the window and then discreetly blew the smoke out of the corner of his mouth, in the direction of the barred window near the top of the cell.

“Shiiiit,” he whispered and then released a bubbling giggle. “Think we could… could…” He paused and smacked his lips, eyes glazing over. “Get some Doritos?”

Rodney blew his smoke towards the ceiling and grunted. “Doritos. No, listen. You ain’t snackin’ unless you’ve got like… got like… you know the grocery store on Jefferson. The one… it’s got this sign out front, I got arrested for pissin’ on that too one time but it was in protest.”

“Protest about what?”

“Having a weak bladder.”

Koushi and Rodney sputtered and leaned against each other.

“What about the snacking?” Koushi asked when they settled down and he took another hit.

“Huh?” Rodney looked at him, eyebrows furrowing. “Oh. Right. You know… Cap’n Crunch.”

“ _God yes_.” Koushi handed the joint back.

“Okay. So you get the Cap’n Crunch. In a box. Because then there’s the bag inside. You rip that bad boy open,” He sucked in a long drag, bloodshot eyes squinting. “Pour strawberry milk into the bag.” When he finished his sentence, smoke floated from his lips and surrounded his face.

Koushi released a gasp and said, louder than intended, “ _No fucking way._ ”

“Fuckin’ _way_ ,” Rodney said. “Try it. It’ll change your… uhm… mi- life. Your life. It’ll change it.”

“I believe you. I would trust you with my life. When me ‘n Daichi get married, inevi-inevit-bally, you should be my best man- NO. You should… off-fishy-ate.”

“Yes. I accept.”

“Hey!”

A loud clang drew their shocked attention across the cell where an officer stood at the window, hitting it with a baton and giving them a glare.

“Where’s that smoke coming from? Are you two…”

“Shit, eat it,” Koushi hissed and Rodney hurriedly crushed the joint in his hand and thrust it in his mouth.

They attempted to act natural as he chewed the evidence of their delinquent behavior and the cop clicked his tongue and hit the window with his baton again.

“C’mon! Where the fuck did you even get that?”

Rodney, chewing sloppily, leaned his head back on the stone wall and gave the officer a smug look. “I’ll never tell.”

“Yeeeaaah, get outta here you… shit man… douche ham,” Koushi heckled, flipping him off with both hands. “We get it… you peaked in high school and you think your cock looks massive clutched in your frail little pig hooves. _Cry about it._ ”

The tendon in the cop’s forehead throbbed and he spun on his heel and stormed off.

Koushi snorted and hugged Rodney’s arm, lounging back next to him.

“Hey Rod, let’s start a business. Two upstanding citizens… savin’ the world. One stolen shark and pissed on cop car at a time.”

“ _In_.”

Koushi’s head rolled to the side and he blinked lethargically at him. “Huh?”

Rodney hummed. “Technically I pissed _into_ the cop car.”

“No.”

“Hm. Open window.”

“ _No._ ”

“And the cop was still inside.”

Koushi’s eyes widened and he released a shriek, kicking his feet up and down on the floor.

“ _Noooo! Rod you’re my hero!_ ” Koushi leaned forward and shouted through the police precinct, “ _Release this man! He’s done nothing wrong!_ ”

“I’ve done nothing wrong!”

“He’s _innocent!_ ”

A loud click drew their eyes once again across the cell, this time to the door.

“Hey, pay attention,” an officer, different from the last, said as he unlocked the door and ripped it open. “You’re being released, Sugawara.”

“Huh?” Koushi sat forward. “Released? But why? I thought you guys had evidence to put me away or whatever?”

“Charges have been dropped,” the officer said and held the door open, irritated look on his face. “C’mon. Let’s go.”

Koushi glanced at Rodney, who blinked and cocked his head to the side.

“Oh…” Koushi gulped. “Okay… uhm… I’ll just… go then.”

Rodney gripped Koushi’s hand and gave it a strong squeeze. “Free Willy.”

Koushi nodded and pushed shakily to his feet. “I will… and… and if you ever wanna hang out, come by the aquarium? We can hang out and get high and piss in cop cars—”

“Hell yes it’s a date.”

“C’mon!” the cop snapped, voice laced with irritation.

Koushi pulled his hand from Rodney’s and staggered across the cell on jelly legs. At the doorway, the cop grabbed his elbow and pulled him impatiently through to the other side.

So he was being released.

Charges dropped.

That… was good.

It was good.

Now Koushi would be free.

 _Echo_ would be free.

The mission was back on and he wasn’t disappointed at all that he would have to do the difficult thing, no longer free of the responsibility.

He wasn’t disappointed.

Not at all.

He went through the motions of getting processed, signing papers and receiving the items he had on him at the time of his arrest.

On his way out of the police station, the cop tried to give him some warning about staying out of trouble or about eyes watching him or something but Koushi wasn’t listening and didn’t give him even a noise of confirmation as he passed through the door to the outside world.

The sun hit him like a wall of warmth and for a moment he just stood at the top of the stairs with his eyes closed against the light.

He was free.

Free to finish what he started.

Do the right thing.

Even if…

_I don’t want to._

“Koushi?”

The voice drew a quivering breath from Koushi’s lungs and he opened his stinging eyes, lowering his gaze halfway down the steps to where Daichi stood, watching him with a worried expression.

Tears welled up in Koushi’s eyes and he sniffled, chin quivering.

Daichi’s arms opened and he released a soft sigh. “Sorry I’m late.”

Koushi rushed down the steps and fell into his chest, burying his face against his throat, arms tight around his waist. He felt so solid and warm and steady, exactly where he wanted to be in that moment when everything was so garbled up and _bad_.

Daichi hugged him tight, sighing again.

“It’s okay,” he murmured. “I got you.”

A long minute passed before Koushi could finally lift his head, arms untwining from around Daichi’s waist to move up and around his neck. He finally kissed him on the lips, then kissed him again, and again, sinking into the feeling for long, sweet seconds.

“Hnnn,” he groaned when he broke away. “Daichi, everything is bad. Let’s light the police station on _fire_.”

Daichi chuckled. “Don’t say that too loud. If my dad hears it, he’ll start pouring lighter fluid.”

Koushi blinked. “Dad?”

“Hm.” Daichi shifted, giving Koushi a view down the rest of the stairs to where a man in a leather jacket stood, smoking a cigar. His dark sunglasses were pointed their direction and at receiving their attention, he lifted a hand. “I called him up to help me get you out of jail.”

Panic exploded in Koushi and he quickly ducked behind Daichi.

“Oh noooo, Daichi I’m so high. I am not ready to meet your daaaaaad!”

“What. High? How—”

“My best friend Rodney had a joint stashed in his prosthetic leg and it was so good, oh my god Daichi can we get Cap’n Crunch and strawberry milk? I’m gonna _cry_.”

Daichi snorted and hugged him close. “Ahh, I missed you."

Koushi softened a little, going warm with the hug.

"And I’m not the only one," Daichi said after a moment. "Apparently Munchie doesn’t like my attention as much as yours.” He clicked his tongue. “The bastard _bit_ me.”

Koushi sputtered. “Poor baby… want me to kiss it better?”

Daichi was silent for a few seconds. When Koushi peeked up into his face, his cheeks were pink.

He cleared his throat. “Maybe later.”

“Oh my god, is it in an embarrassing spot? Did he bite your dick? Why was your dick near my octopus, Daichi? Are you into _that_ kinda hentai after all? Do I need to call animal protection services?”

“ _It’s not on my dick. It’s…_ ” he paused, glancing over his shoulder at his father. “It’s on my _nipple_.”

Koushi sputtered again and dragged him into a tight hug, peering up into his face. “ _Hahaha, stupid Daichi! I love you!_ ”

Daichi’s eyes widened and Koushi paused, realizing what he had said.

“Oh,” he said. “I mean… I don’t mean like… Uhm… I _like_ you… it’s too early to—”

“I love you too!” Daichi said, urgently, before Koushi could fully take his words back.

They stared at each other for long, silent seconds before devolving into cackling laughter.

Daichi pulled him close and pressed kisses to Koushi’s jaw and he giggled and turned his face away.

“Shit, I knew gays moved fast but _wow._ You’re so embarrassing, Daichi.”

He clicked his tongue again. “You said it first, Bastard.”

“Yeah, on _accident_.”

“Doesn’t matter. I’m counting it. You loooove me. Loser.”

“You love me more!”

“Nah, impossible. You’re so in love with me it’s embarrassing. Please, Koushi, keep it in your pants.”

“Let go of me, Shithead, I’m gonna go embarrass you in front of your dad.”

Koushi slipped out of his grasp and clattered the rest of the way down the stairs to stop in front of Daichi’s dad, who cocked an eyebrow and removed his sunglasses at his arrival.

“Mr. Daichi’s Dad,” Koushi said, slightly breathless. “Daichi just told me he loves me and we’ve only been dating for like twenty-four hours isn’t that _lame_?”

“You said it first!” Daichi shouted from behind.

“I was testing you!” Koushi shouted back. “And you failed!”

Daichi’s dad took the still burning cigar out of his mouth and tossed it to the side. Koushi watched it with a hum.

“That’s still very much on fire.”

“ACAB,” Daichi’s dad said.

“ _Agreed_.”

“I’m Mikio,” he said and held out a hand to shake.

“Koushi.”

When Koushi took his hand, Mikio yanked him forward and gave him a rough, short hug, slapping him hard on the back.

“Glad to have another criminal in the family,” he said. “Now Dai’s _really_ outnumbered.”

_In the family…_

Koushi went immediately bashful, staring at Mikio with wide eyes.

He could see the resemblance between father and son in the strength of his jawline, the sternness of his brow. Mikio’s appearance was much more unkempt than Daichi’s though. His hair was swept back and held in place by product but it was clearly longer, a little bit shaggy. And then there was the difference in how they kept their faces, Daichi clean cut and smooth while Mikio proudly wore a beard of salt and pepper.

Where Daichi was handsome and approachable, Mikio was handsome and intimidating but both were very much Sawamuras.

_In the family..._

“Dai,” Mikio said. “He froze up. What did I do?”

Koushi felt a gentle hand against his back as Daichi moved to his side.

“It’s alright. He’s just high. Apparently.”

“How the fuck did ya get high in jail?”

Koushi gulped. “My best friend Rodney had a joint in his leg.”

“Yeah there are _two_ joints in a leg usually. Knee and ankle. Which one did you smoke?”

“Who is this Rodney guy?” Daichi interrupted, voice perplexed. “And what do you mean _best friend_? What about Asahi?”

Koushi’s eyes widened and he jerked towards Daichi. “Oh my god Daichi! Asahi! I was supposed to pick him up at the airport at three a.m.! Oh no!” He let out a wail and fell against Daichi’s chest. “He’s probably _still there! What do we do?_ ”

Daichi snorted and smoothed a hand over Koushi’s hair, pushing it away from his face. “Relax. I picked him up for you. And even if I didn’t, I’m sure he and Noya both would have been perfectly capable of calling a car to drive them home.”

“No, they’re so _stupid_ they would just _die there_.”

Daichi laughed and kissed his temple. “Then it’s a good thing I remembered to pick them up, huh?”

Koushi sniffled. “Yeah…”

After a few silent seconds of growing awkwardness, Mikio cleared his throat.

“Anyway. Don’t we got a fish to free?”

_Oh… no._

The sadness was back with a vengeance.

 _I don’t want to_.

“Yeah,” Daichi said. “Asahi and Noya should be with Ryuu at the docks. While we marched, they transported Echo to the boat.”

“So then let’s get going.”

Koushi tuned out their voices until Daichi was tugging him up the sidewalk in the direction of his car parked against the curb.

It was time.

He wasn’t ready.

 _I’m not ready_.

Sitting in the passenger seat of Daichi’s car, seatbelt buckled, Koushi gulped, swallowing his tears, and looked over at Daichi, catching his warm stare.

“Can we stop for Cap’n Crunch and strawberry milk on the way?”

Daichi smiled.

“Sure.”

* * *

By the way everyone was acting, one would think Koushi was dying.

He understood of course. He was probably acting the same way, though he tried to mask it by looking busy, pacing the length of Noya’s boat as they sailed out to sea, salty air pelting his face and blowing his hair back.

He pretended like he wasn’t having second thoughts, one moment away from ordering them to go back to shore, waiting just a little while, just one month more, before forcing him to say goodbye.

He couldn’t do this. Where in his stupid, broken brain did Koushi think he could actually do this?

Give up the one thing he had left from a time before everything went completely to shit?

Koushi wasn’t ready.

_Call it off._

_Just call it off._

_Make up an excuse._

Koushi turned on his heel and his eyes met instantly with Kiyoko’s where she sat next to Ryuu across the boat.

She was watching him.

Actually…

They all were.

Ryuu, Asahi, Daichi, Koutarou, Tetsurou… even Noya was throwing him looks from where he stood at the wheel, navigating them over the waves.

The only one that wasn’t staring him down was…

Koushi walked over and sat on the seat next to Mikio, clasping his hands between his knees and tugging absently at the inner seam of his wetsuit. Mikio didn’t acknowledge his presence, still staring out over the water, and for a minute, they merely sat in silence.

“Big,” Mikio finally said and Koushi glanced at him.

“Huh?”

“It’s big,” he said again, gesturing at the ocean.

“Oh. Yeah. Really big.”

“Hmm… feels like that makes it even more special.”

“What do you mean?”

"Ya know. You and your shark."

Koushi's stomach tightened.

“Proximity is one of life’s greatest lucks.”

Mikio sat back and stretched his legs out in front of him. The sea spray misted over his face, making his skin and hair glisten with moisture, and he closed his eyes to the feeling.

“The world’s filled with people and places and things, most of which you won’t ever get to experience just because you’re too far away.”

His eyes slowly opened once more.

“But sometimes… somehow… we get to meet something extraordinary.”

Koushi’s eyes drifted across the boat to where Daichi sat. He was no longer looking at him, instead patting Asahi’s back where he sat next to him, looking green and miserable.

“The ocean’s vast,” Mikio went on and Koushi let his gaze travel back over the shining, blue water as the boat sliced through it. “Yet somehow… you got to meet _that_ fish. All because of life’s lucky proximity.”

Koushi looked to where the large tub sat in the center of the boat.

Mikio grunted. “Feels pretty damn special, don’t it? Seems like the universe wanted you two to be together. Even if it wasn’t for forever.”

“Yeah...” Koushi whispered.

Silence fell over them once more and they sat that way for another minute before Noya was calling out,

“About five more minutes!”

With a deep breath, Koushi pushed to his feet and walked down the length of the boat to where the box of their supplies sat. He retrieved a pair of goggles and flippers and sat once more to pull them on, leaving the goggles on his forehead for the time being. Koutarou and Daichi joined him and Koushi passed them flippers too. They made their way together to the side of Echo’s tub where Tetsurou and Ryuu waited.

Koushi reached into the water inside the tub and touched Echo’s rough skin. She reacted groggily to his hand, shifting slightly in the small space.

“The sedative hasn’t fully worn off,” Koushi said, just as the boat began to slow. “We’ll have to hold her until she’s ready to swim on her own. Koutarou can get her tail, I’ll get her head. Tetsurou and Ryuu, stay in the boat and hold her middle with a rope. Daichi, I’ll need help with her head.”

Everyone hummed their agreement and Koushi inhaled a deep breath.

He wasn’t ready.

But the boat had drawn to a complete halt, only bobbing gently with the calm water, and there was no more time to waste.

Ryuu lifted a wide stretcher and they worked it into the tub and underneath Echo’s large body.

“One, two, three,” Koushi mumbled and they hefted the shark up and out of the tub. They moved as a team and carried her with straining muscles to the side of the boat. “Up,” Koushi commanded and they lifted her up and over the water.

Daichi, Tetsurou, and Ryuu held the stretcher steady as Koushi and Koutarou hurriedly dropped into the water with a splash. Kiyoko threaded a rope between the stretcher and the side of the boat and Koushi fetched it, bringing it under to the other side.

“Okay,” he said and Daichi, Tetsurou, and Ryuu lowered Echo the rest of the way into the water.

Once the stretcher was removed and tossed behind them into the boat, Koushi wrapped the rope up along her side. He tossed the end into the boat for Ryuu and then moved to Echo’s head as Koutarou took his place at her tail.

Daichi slid into the water and treaded at Koushi’s side.

“What do you want me to do?” he asked.

“Hold me steady,” Koushi said, voice trembling.

Daichi’s arm circled Koushi’s waist and he gripped onto the side of the boat with his other, holding Koushi up so that he didn’t need to concentrate on keeping his head above water. Instead, he held Echo’s large head in his arms, nestled against his chest and stomach like he had done countless times before.

Her fins moved lazily and she gave a tiny twist, but otherwise didn’t thrash or struggle to get away, still coming off of the sedative.

The water lapped over her body, welcoming her home, and Koushi dragged his eyes over her, tracing her faded stripes with his gaze. He stroked her until his palms and fingers stung from the roughness, engraining the feeling forever into his hands.

Koushi had poured nearly a decade of love into this skin.

He remembered every dive, every moment spent sharing proximity with this incredible and one of a kind creature. From now and back to the very beginning, meeting her for the first time at the bottom of the deep, blue sea.

Back before he dove alone.

Once she was gone, there would only be Koushi left with the memory of his mother’s affection, given so generously and without condition.

Once she was gone, the echoes of his mother’s love and care, mirrored in the practiced movement of a shark they both adored would leave.

And then what?

He wasn’t ready.

But he was there, and she was there, finally where she belonged, and he couldn’t bring himself to do any more than want her to stay.

And god he wanted her to stay.

As minutes passed, Koushi’s vision faded behind a barrier of tears and he blinked them away, chest tightening so intensely that he prepared for the inevitable snap of his sternum from the pressure.

Eventually, Echo began to shift and wiggle, the effects of the sedative fading and fading with what little time he had left to spend with her.

No words would come, and part of him didn’t want to say anything anyway. It would feel too much like a goodbye, the final eulogy at a funeral he desperately didn’t want to attend. So he was silent, sinking into the tight and hollow feeling of loss before anything was even gone.

 _I love you_ , he thought the words instead, knowing that his voice would mean nothing.

_Thank you for allowing me to know you._

Echo’s head bucked against his chest, gently, and her tail pulled against Koutarou’s hold.

A shuddering sob shook Koushi’s frame and tears mixed with sea water as it splashed up and over his face.

“Let her go,” he forced the words out, voice rough.

The rope uncoiled from around her middle and Koutarou released her tail, paddling backwards and out of the way as she gave a tremendous thrash and broke free of Koushi’s grip.

Her dorsal fin submerged with the rest of her and Koushi hurriedly dragged his goggles down over his eyes and yanked out of Daichi’s hold. He dove underwater, blinking the fresh moisture from his eyes as he attempted desperately to keep Echo in his sight.

She swam quickly down, a silver blade piercing through the overwhelming and surrounding blue of the ocean, and Koushi followed, burying the urge to breathe under the need to keep her close.

As they plunged deeper and deeper, Echo’s movement slowed, growing peaceful and content. Koushi watched with his heart in his throat how she acclimated perfectly to her surroundings, as if she had never truly left.

When she curved back around, Koushi held still, legs gently treading the water that surrounded and weighed down on him.

Echo swam leisurely in his direction and circled around him, rubbing against his side. Koushi’s hand smoothed over the top of her, brushing against her dorsal fin. She was calm as she came back around and did it again, this time nudging her nose into his stomach.

Koushi’s lungs strained but he held steady, letting his palms and fingers steal just one last touch as she pushed past and continued on, looking back no more.

At the bottom of the sea, everything is blue.

Everything is quiet.

Down there, Koushi was just a drop in the ocean, moved by the current. He existed in a vast expanse of universe and nothing else mattered.

Except when life graced him with its greatest luck of unlikely proximity and he got to meet something absolutely… extraordinary.

He wasn't ready to let it go.

But he was happy he had been allowed to have it at all.

* * *

_Five months later..._

“Okay Munch, no way you’ll get it _this_ time.”

Daichi brought his fists from behind his head and held them out to the octopus where he sat, suctioned to Daichi’s knees as he lounged sideways on the couch, leaning back against the arm rest.

“Where’s the bouncy ball?” he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

One of Munchie’s tentacles whipped out and smacked onto Daichi’s right hand and he let out a groan, letting his head drop backwards.

“How do you always guess right?” He opened his hands and Munchie quickly nabbed the small, orange bouncy ball from his palm. With a flick, the tentacle flung the ball across the room and it bounced against the floor and wall.

Daichi peeled the suction cups from his hand and reached to the side of the couch where the bucket of toys sat. He fetched another bouncy ball, green this time, and hid his hands behind his head to choose which to hide it in.

“Alright. Your streak can’t last forever,” Daichi said. “I _will_ beat you eventually.” He brought his hands around again, holding them between them. “Where is it?”

Munchie whapped his right hand again and Daichi released a growling shout.

“ _Koushi! He’s cheating! There’s no way he’s this good!_ ”

Cackling laughter floated through the house as Daichi let Munchie yoink the ball from his palm and send it flying across the room.

Koushi appeared from the doorway of his bedroom, pulling the top half of his hair up into a small ponytail at the back of his head. He was dressed in a black wetsuit, the torso hanging down around his hips, bare chest on display, and Daichi was momentarily distracted by the partial nudity.

“I _told_ you. Octopuses have x-ray vision.”

Daichi scowled. “Nice try. I googled it. Octopuses do _not_ have x-ray vision. In fact, they’re colorblind. Debunking your _other_ lie about him hating my favorite shirt.”

Koushi laughed again and crossed the living room. “Okay, busted. _I’m_ the one who hates your cheese shirt. But Munchie and I have a special bond so it’s probably still true that he doesn’t like it either.”

“Uh huh.” Daichi dropped his head back as Koushi stood over him and leaned down to plant a sweet kiss to his mouth. “You two just team up on me,” he pouted.

Koushi’s nose scrunched and he smoothed his fingertips over Daichi’s cheeks and cupped his face.

“Yep,” he murmured before kissing him again. “But you love it.”

Daichi sighed as Koushi straightened away. “God, I do. At least from _one_ of you.” He sent a glare at Munchie, who had latched on to Koushi’s waist and was pulling himself up onto his shoulder, producing little popping sounds as his suction cups stuck and dislodged from his skin.

“Awww, Daichi is jealous again.” Koushi offered his fingers to Munchie and two tentacles wrapped around them. “Isn’t that cute?”

Daichi clicked his tongue and slapped Koushi’s ass, earning a giggle. When he followed the slap up with a grope and pinch, Koushi swatted his wrist away and headed in the direction of his bedroom.

“C’mon, get dressed! We’re gonna be late. I’ll put Munchie away. And if you’re not ready by the time I get back out here, I’m leaving you behind.”

Daichi sighed and rolled off of the couch.

“Yeah, yeah… I'm going.”

While Koushi returned Munchie to his tank, Daichi slipped off to his room to struggle into his wetsuit, leaving the upper half hanging around his waist as Koushi had done and instead, covered his naked torso with his favorite shirt, just to spite his boyfriend and his wily octopus. He smirked as he made a swipe over the worn and faded pictures of various cheeses on the chest.

Koushi noticed when they met in the living room, but instead of saying something, he merely gave Daichi a narrow look and a cheeky middle finger.

Once they were ready, they piled into Daichi’s car and headed off across town, holding hands and bickering.

“I just think it would be really cathartic if we each chose an item that the other one owns and burned it in a barrel in the backyard,” Koushi said as Daichi pulled the car into a parking space at the docks and killed the engine. “We can set up some rules. Nothing expensive, alive, or sentimental.”

“This shirt is sentimental,” Daichi said. “My dad bought it for me.”

“Your dad buys you stuff all the time!” Koushi argued. “You’re not allowed to consider gifts from your dad sentimental until he’s dead, like mine.”

“Jesus.”

“I’m just saying. He bought you a t-shirt from the gift shop at your _own_ work two weeks ago.” He gave Daichi’s shirt a sneer, eyes flashing down his chest and back up. “This one ain’t special.”

Daichi sputtered and brought Koushi’s hand up to his mouth to kiss his fingers.

“Shut up,” he whispered. “I love you, annoying Jackass.”

Koushi smirked and yanked his fingers from his grasp. “Can’t say I blame you.”

Daichi grabbed the cooler from the backseat with the snacks and drinks he had prepared and carried it with him as they traveled over the docks and to Noya’s boat, parked on the far end.

“Ahoy!” Noya called brightly from aboard and gave them a salute. “Finally! We’ve been waiting for you. Now we just gotta wait for Ryuu to come back from the bathroom and we’re all set!”

Koushi hopped onto the boat and immediately fell into Asahi’s lap where he sat on the bench against the right side. “Asahi, quick, tell Daichi that his shirt is ugly and needs to be burned in a barrel in our backyard.”

"Uhm..."

“You’ll never get rid of this shirt, Bastard,” Daichi said and set his cooler down next to the box of diving supplies.

“What’s wrong with that shirt?”

They glanced over to where Mikio stood next to Noya, wearing a wetsuit and holding an opened can of beer with a scowl.

“I bought him that shirt. From the cheese factory we toured together.”

“No offense Miki, but it’s ugly and stupid and you have bad taste,” Koushi said without missing a beat.

Mikio glanced over Daichi’s shirt and shrugged. “Yeah.” He took a long drink of his beer.

“Who cares if it’s ugly?” Daichi snapped and fell onto the bench across from Koushi and Asahi. “It’s comfortable and soft and reminds me of a trip through a magical Willy Wonka type factory where I got to eat a lot of cheese. Back off.”

“The things I have to put up with,” Koushi muttered. “It’s a wonder that I haven’t dumped your ass yet.”

“Shuddup fish nerd.”

Koushi snorted and stood. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“Hmm…”

Koushi crossed the boat and sat in his lap instead, wrapping his arms around his neck and leaning into his chest.

“Are you ready?” he asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Daichi put an arm around his waist. “I’ve trained for this day.”

“You’re not going to freak out like last time?”

“I didn’t freak out. I reacted appropriately to being bitten by a hammerhead shark.”

“It’s not Ianthe’s fault that you were too slow to let go of the fish,” Koushi said.

“Sure, it’s _your_ fault.”

Koushi giggled and kissed his cheekbone. “Okay, okay. But the aquarium sharks are a little more eager than wild sharks. It’ll be easier today. Promise.”

“No part of that sounds true.”

“I swear! The aquarium sharks are so used to me that they’re really greedy and spoiled! But wild sharks are less organized and more curious. And we’ll put you in chain mail so even if I am wrong, you’ll be safe. Mostly.”

“Mostly.”

“Yeah, mostly.”

Daichi groaned and dropped his head onto Koushi’s shoulder. “Why does my boyfriend have to be the _shark_ whisperer? Why couldn’t he be the _puppy_ whisperer or _cheesecake_ whisperer?”

“Because I’m better than those nonexistent boyfriends, obviously.”

Daichi couldn’t even argue.

“I’m here!”

Everyone glanced over to watch Ryuu sprint up the dock and then leap onto the boat, slightly out of breath and tugging on the crotch of his wetsuit.

“Fuck, I hate trying to pee in these things,” he groaned and joined Asahi, collapsing onto the bench with a sigh.

Daichi eyed him quietly for a moment. There were beads of moisture on his head, face, neck, as well as dripping off of his suit.

God he hoped that was water.

Noya whooped and pumped his fist in the air. “Alright! Let’s get this party on the waves!”

Soon, they were headed out to sea and Daichi settled back to enjoy the journey, closing his eyes against the steady mist of ocean spray against his face.

Though he had been training for this at the aquarium for weeks now, he was nervous. It would be his first time diving in the ocean, among the wild sharks. Even Koushi’s reassurance that it would be fine couldn’t dispel his nerves.

“Hey,” Koushi said when they were nearly to his usual diving spot.

Daichi looked up at him. “Hm?”

Koushi cupped his jaw in one hand and smoothed his thumb over his cheek.

“Thank you. For everything you’ve done for me.”

Daichi rested a hand on his thigh, other arm tightening around his waist.

“These past few months haven’t been easy,” Koushi went on. “But you’ve been there, taking care of me. And I just want you to know that I really appreciate it.”

Daichi’s chest tightened pleasantly and he leaned his face into Koushi’s palm.

“I’d do it again and again. A million more times.”

Koushi kissed him gently. “I’m counting on that.”

When he pulled back, Daichi gulped. “Koushi… you know… it’s only been a few months. She could still turn up.”

Koushi smiled, thumb still stroking over his cheek.

“I’m serious,” Daichi said. “She’s probably just out… sowing her wild oats. Making up for lost time. Having wild shark sex.”

Koushi snorted.

“But she might still come back. I don’t want you to lose hope yet.”

Instead of answering, Koushi kissed him again, threading his fingers through Daichi’s hair to the back of his head.

When they arrived to the spot and the boat slowed to a stop, Daichi, Koushi, Ryuu, and Mikio gathered up their equipment. Koushi finished first and helped Daichi with his chainmail, laughing when he started to put it on backwards.

“Are you sure you guys will be okay up here?” Koushi asked Asahi and Noya when they were almost ready.

“I don’t want to go down _there_ if that’s what you’re asking,” Asahi said, face pale. “No thank you. I’ll stay up here without the dangerous sea creatures and constant threat of drowning.”

Noya laughed and sat next to him, instantly throwing his arm around his shoulders. “It’s all good! We’re gonna sit up here and make out the whole time!”

“Gross.” Koushi turned to Daichi and helped him with his oxygen tank.

Once they were all set up, Mikio and Ryuu dropped into the water and Koushi coaxed Daichi into doing the same, his nerves suddenly shooting for the sky.

The instant he hit the water, all sound disappeared save for the gurgling of bubbles surrounding and flowing past him for the surface. He sucked on the mouthpiece of his tank, ensuring that it was, in fact, working, and then turned to search for Koushi.

He dropped into the water next to him, a metal box attached to a rope in his hands. After receiving an “OK” sign from Daichi, they began their descent through the sea in the direction of the sandy bottom.

He spotted Mikio and Ryuu ahead of them, Ryuu holding Koushi’s large, underwater camera in both hands.

At the ocean floor, sharks had already begun to gather, swimming in lazy circles with their pilot fish and remora companions. After a quick scan over the sharks, Daichi resisted the urge to let out a sigh of relief. They were mostly Caribbean reef sharks and a few nurse sharks, much less intimidating species than tigers and hammerheads.

He couldn’t ask for better conditions for his very first ocean dive.

When they reached the bottom of the ocean, Koushi waved Daichi over, offering him the metal feeding stick he had brought with him. Daichi took it, flinching when a nurse shark swam between his legs and up his torso.

Koushi opened the metal box of chum and pulled out a fish, pausing to redirect a Caribbean reef shark when it made a pass for the food. He reached out and pierced the fish on the feeding stick and gestured at Daichi to go ahead and use it.

Daichi turned and offered the stick up just as another shark was passing by, mouth open and expectant. The shark chomped the fish and Daichi pulled the stick back and out of its mouth, a thrill shooting up his spine at the success. When he faced Koushi again, he noticed the squint of his eyes through his goggles, a silent smile.

For the next half hour, they fed the sharks, Daichi growing more and more confident and even attempting (and failing) to use tonic immobility on a few of the smaller nurse sharks.

On one instance where he had nearly coaxed one of them into calming against his touch, he looked to Koushi to be sure he was watching him just to realize that he was nowhere to be seen. Daichi blinked, and his inattentiveness caused the shark to escape, swimming up past his line of vision.

Daichi pushed up from the sandy ocean floor and swam up over the sharks, turning in a circle to look for Koushi. He spotted Ryuu, still with the camera, trained on Daichi, and then Mikio behind him, feeding a Caribbean reef shark with the metal stick. Daichi circled again and then paused, catching sight of something big near the surface moving through the blue expanse of ocean in their direction.

Daichi squinted, swimming a little higher in his attempts to distinguish the shape.

It was much bigger than the sharks that swam around and below him, and moved differently to a human. But as it drew nearer, Daichi’s heart rate leapt.

Because that was a shark.

Not just any shark though.

_Echo!_

Daichi wanted to shout it, nearly spitting his mouthpiece out in his sudden spike of excitement.

He’d recognize that fish anywhere. He had spent hours upon hours watching her swim in a pool in his living room, memorizing the shape and color of her stripes until she was one of a kind, completely distinguishable from every other shark in the world.

_Echo!_

It was her. Daichi had to tell Koushi. Where was he? He spun in a circle again, searching for him, but again turned up empty handed.

Where was Koushi? He couldn’t miss this. Echo was back. She _came back_.

Daichi had to keep her from leaving before Koushi could see her.

With a kick of his legs, Daichi swam up through the water until he was in the shark’s line of sight and she flicked her tail and headed his direction.

And ohhhh, she was much bigger than the others. Even though it was Echo, and Daichi knew her, it was nerve-racking, watching her swim towards him, huge and fast and…

Echo reached Daichi and instantly rubbed against his chest and stomach, nudging him roughly with her massive head.

_Cute._

Daichi could just cry.

It was Echo and he needed to show Koushi as soon as possible.

Echo made a circle around him and swam close once more, nuzzling against him as if they were best friends instead of brief partners in crime and roommates several months ago. Daichi smoothed his gloved hands over her body until he spotted something attached to her tail, bobbing in the water.

Tag?

Had she been tagged?

On her next loop around him, Daichi caught the black rope tied around her tail and tugged. It fell away easily.

Too easily.

Daichi lifted it, realizing it wasn’t a tag at all. Or at least, not like he expected, something plastic and hardy and able to last through years of wear and tear in the ocean depths.

Instead, there was a small, metal box upon which words were inscribed.

Daichi lifted it in front of his eyes to read what was written, out of the way of the bubbles that shot past him for the surface.

_Daichi,_

_There are plenty of fish in the sea_

_But the universe brought you to me_

_No more being moved by the current’s motion_

_You’re the only drop in my ocean_

Daichi stared at the inscription for long seconds before finally prying the box open.

Inside was a gold ring, attached to a small chain securing it to the bottom of the container where _Will you marry me?_ was etched.

Bubbles burst from his breathing apparatus as he expelled a large breath.

_Ring._

_It’s a ring._

_Holy fuck._

Daichi spun in a circle, searching for Koushi.

Ryuu and Mikio had moved closer to the surface with him, Ryuu still pointing the camera, gleeful look on his face inside his goggles. Mikio offered him a thumbs up and pointed over his shoulder.

Daichi turned again and finally found Koushi, treading water a short distance away, Echo circling and bopping him playfully with her nose.

Koushi threw his hands up as if to say “ _Surprise!_ ” and Daichi’s vision blurred with tears.

Daichi swam in his direction and Koushi met him, putting his hands on his shoulders. Daichi gripped his waist, refusing to be knocked away when Echo bumped into them, trying to wedge between.

They remained there, staring into each other’s eyes until their bodies had decompressed from the dive and then Daichi was kicking his feet, dragging Koushi up with him.

The second they broke the surface, Daichi spat out his mouthpiece and shoved his goggles up his head. Koushi did the same and as soon as he mouthpiece was clear of his mouth, Daichi surged forward and kissed him desperately.

Koushi giggled against his lips. “Is that a yes?” he panted when Daichi pulled back.

“ _Yes_ , you sneaky bastard,” Daichi breathed and kissed him again.

A loud _pop_ drew their attention to the left where the boat floated.

Asahi and Noya stood at the edge, Noya with a bottle of champagne from which a cork had just exploded.

“Congratulations!” they cheered simultaneously.

“Congrats!” another voice had them looking the other direction to where Mikio and Ryuu were treading water, Ryuu lifting the camera up over the surface to capture the scene.

“You guys were in on this?” Daichi asked incredulously.

“You bet,” Mikio said and swam towards the boat.

“I was the one that put the ring on Echo,” Ryuu boasted. “Did it before meeting up with you guys at the docks.”

“Oh so that water on you _wasn’t_ pee.”

“Gross dude!”

Daichi grinned and looked back to Koushi, who was gazing at him with a soft smile, water dripping down his face.

Daichi’s chest swelled with emotion and he gulped.

“I love you,” he whispered.

Koushi’s eyes squinted mischievously. “Can’t say I blame you. Proposing underwater with a _shark_? Pure romance. You’re so lucky the universe threw us together Daichi. God, I wish I was you just so I could have the opportunity to be engaged to _me_.”

Daichi laughed and kissed him again.

“How did you do it?” he asked as they slowly swam towards the boat.

“Echo’s been showing up for the past few weeks,” Koushi said. “Just when I was beginning to think that I’d never see her again. I was so happy. I wanted to tell you immediately but…” He smiled at him over his shoulder. “I figured this way was more my speed.”

Daichi laughed. “Yeah… it definitely is.”

At the side of the boat, they paused, each gripping onto the ladder with one hand. Koushi put his arm around Daichi’s neck and pulled him close until their wet noses brushed.

“Thank you,” he whispered. “For everything.”

Daichi’s heart strained and he could just burst with happiness.

Koushi held his gaze in his and smiled.

“ _Now_ will you let me burn that shirt?”

“Never.”

They stared at one another silently for long seconds before simultaneously bursting into cackling laughter.

And it felt like Daichi was getting all of his good luck all at once.

Typically, he would worry about it.

Not today.

At the bottom of the sea, everything was blue.

But at its surface, the sun was bright and warm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soft
> 
> So sorry for how late this final update was. I totally burned myself out trying to finish this piece in time and it SHOWS. Regardless, I am satisfied with how cheesy it wound up being so... <3
> 
> Thank you all for reading and for being patient with me as I struggled through this journey. I hope you liked the ending <3
> 
> [drop in the ocean Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4akQJRtF0tUf2UPd6AjnzD?si=Msuo9isvTLeENUKPTEdpCg)  
> Come yell at me on [Tumblr.](https://mooifyourecows.tumblr.com/) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/mooifyourecows)


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